Classical and New Hollywood Flashcards
Auteur- Introduction:
Auteur is the theory only the director is responsible for the film.
Theory was established in France shortly after WW2, once France had regained access to Hollywood cinema.
In 1962, American critic, Andrew Sarriss published the theory her added to be an auteur you should have a body of work which demonstrates: technical competence, personal style, interior meaning.
Many disagreed with theory- including critic, Pauline Kael who argues many people are involved in the production of a film, and this theory just ‘predicts’ their next films.
Both Curtiz and Forman can arguably be seen as auteurs. Cutiz personal style of expressionistic lighting, making every shot a piece of art. As well as this, Forman’s realism captures the attention of the audience
Auteur- Curtiz pt.1
Curtiz used his technical competence to create the dolly shot.
The dolly shot allows Curtiz to move the camera, while still creating smooth horizontal camera shots. Allowing the audience to remain immersed in the diegisis of the film, allowing them to acknowledge the verisimilitude of the film.
In Casablance (Curtiz, 1942) Curtiz uses the dolly shot to capture a plane flying overhead. He then adds a secondry camera movement, panning from the plane to a line of people waiting to flee Casablanca before returning to the original dolly shot.
This depicts the volume of people wanting to leave Africa, creating a moment of peace they could achieve by fleeing, which contradicts the war.
Curtiz also uses the dolly shot in ‘Charge of The Light Brigade’ the horses jumping over the camera, before following them into war.
Auteur- Forman pt.1
Forman expresses his technical competence through his use of lighting in OFOTCN (Forman, 1975)
Forman had to shoot on location, at a mental hospital in Pheonix due to his low budgets, unlike Curtiz in-house sound stages.
However, Forman shot in the early months of the year at specific times of day, in order to create a dim, bleak, grey, ambient light.
Which captures the prison-like atmosphere the inmates endure.
Contrarily, when Forman wanted to create a more clinical look he used strip white overhead lighting.
The hard white walls and floors intensified this, the inescapable white, bleached surroundings highlight a lifelessness that McMurphy, being the epitome of vitality and life disrupts.
Auteur- Curtiz pt.2
Contralily, Curtiz use of expressionistic lighting is his personal style and what makes him a distinct auteur.
Curtiz learnt expressionistic lighting in Hungary, he uses deep dark areas of shadow to build atmosphere.
Curtiz uses high key lighting to highlight his absence from their relationship.
Curtiz uses lighting to speak emotions the characters can’t express through dialogue.
Curtiz expresses he “puts as much art into cinema the audience can stand.”
Curtiz also uses expressionistic lighting in Robinhood (1938) creating a movement sequence through the use of shadow.
Auteur- Forman pt.2
Forman’s realism become his personal style, distinct factor in his work.
Forman’s cast is arguably the most important component for his realism.
He didn’t want the audience to get distracted by big stars, unlike the Warner Brothers seven year contracts with star actors.
In ‘group therapy’ sessions Forman frequently used shot-reverse-shot between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy as their discussions got heated. Inset shots of extreme close ups on the other patients were used, focusing on their eyes and mouths, which are particular expressive features. Many were scared to speak, especially in front of Nurse Ratched, or due to their illness, like Chief, there expression spoke for them.
As the audience we feel as if we were there to. The film feels like a documentary due to cinema verite style. This reinforces the messages Forman wanted to clearly communicate.
On the surface the film is about how mental illness is often stigmatized. Also carries themes of the importance of intellectual freedom and sexual freedom.
Auteur- Curtiz pt.3
Similarly, both Curtiz and Forman use interior meaning through their protagonist.
Curtiz’z protagonist Rick was probably America’s first rebel hero.
The first scene we meet Rick he’s sat alone playing chess, highlighting he’s both strategic and isolated.
However, Curtiz has the shot at a medium close up at eye level, which allows us as the audience to connect with Rick.
Rick represented America entering WW2, being a prototype for a new kind of America.
In the final scene we’re aware of Rick’s heroic traits as he doesn’t give into Isla’s pleas.
Rick helped boost the morale of many Americans; he may be seen as propaganda, but he became a heroic figure to many.
Auteur- Forman pt.3
Contrarily, Forman’s protagonist McMurphy is an anti-hero, who expresses anti-establishment ideology.
Forman lived in Czech Republic before emigrating to America due to Russia’s take over.
Forman expressed “I lived twice in tortalian societities.” He understood why people rebel, many of Forman’s films like ‘Amadeus’ follows the rebelling nature of music.
Nurse Ratched and Mcmurphey’s relationship represents Forman’s time in Czech Republic and the oppression he faced. Nurse Ratched symbolises Russia, trying to take control and condone maltreatment. While Mcmurphey represents the people who want to fight back, but couldn’t due to his ‘medication’ which is similar to political oppression.
Our relationship with Mcmurphey is rich, but complex. Mcmurphey is the only person to see his fellow inmates as people not patients.
At times Mcmurphey makes us uncomfortable.
The first scene we meet Mcmurphey he’s being brought into the hospital, being inprisoned for sexually assaulting an underage girl. He comes into the hospital gleefuly laughing before turning and kissing the guard.
Forman didn’t tell the guard Nicholson was going to kiss him, in order to capture his raw reaction, ultimately, adding to the realism.
Auteur- Conclusion
In conclusion, both Curtiz and Forman can be seen as an auteur.
Curtiz made over 140 films across genres at Warner Bro’s, highlighting versatility of his work, talk about personal style.
Forman made OFOTCN with Fantasy Film, a low budget production. Forman’s cinema verite style style, drawing realism into his work, carefully picking the correct camera shots and specific lighting.
Context- Introduction
The majority of the mainstream films in the 1940’s and 1950’s were produced by the Big 5 studios. The studios, like Warner Brothers tied stars to long term contracts where they had to comply to strict censorship due to the Hays Code.
They were often confined in their creativity, reproducing world location on in-house sound stages.
As a result, films from this period such as Casablanca (Curtiz, 1942) could look stylised and conventionalised due to the conservative time. Contralily, New Hollywood took their camera out on location, producing a more naturalistic and realistic look and feel to their films, like Bonnie and Clyde (Penn, 1967) which is too a Warner Brothers film.
However, by this time they allowed more freedom for creativity, which included more adult scenes of a violent and sexual nature, after the overhaul of the censorship system.
Context- Classical pt.1
In the ‘gun scene’ in Casablanca, we see the power imbalance between the two genders, typical for the Classical era.
Firstly, Ilsa should have the power as she draws a gun, which is highlighted through the use of an insert shot.
The gun is pointed at Rick to threaten to shoot him if he doesn’t hand over the exit visas.
However, framed in a medium close up, Rick is unafraid and even appears to step forward to ‘make it easier’ for her.
Eventually Ilsa’s bravery crumbles as she dissolves into tears; Curtiz uses high key lighting to capture Ilsa in a close up as a tear glistens down her cheek, accentuated by the light, as she falls into Rick’s arms and we see a sequence of quick cuts that reveal their emotional expressions. Despite the fact she is now upset, she is still presented as an idealistic Classical Hollywood female in her flawless beauty and modest clothing, the typical convention of the time. Yet she is clearly the emotional, dependent stereotypical female in this moment.
Context- New pt.1
However, in Bonnie and Clyde through a series of shot-reverse-shots and over the shoulder shots, Bonnie is presented as sexually aggressive and more powerful in most scenes with Clyde.
For example, the ‘coca-cola scene’ the power starts with Clyde as he owns a gun that he shows off to Bonnie in a insert shot.
However, rather than being nervous or scared as we might expect of a Classical Hollywood character- we see her excitement in a high angle close up.
Bonnies thrill at the violence Clyde brings into her world, and the sexual excitement she feels as a result, illustrated by a close up of her caressing the gun, suggests she is a much more modern female with liberated ideas and values, reflecting the Women’s Liberation Movement of the late 1960’s.
Context- Classical pt.2
Ingrid Bergman is a perfect example of a leading actress of the time; audiences idolised and reverd these star actresses, many women being influenced to evolve their style like the lead actress.
In the market scene, Ilsa’a elegance and power are both reinforced.
Her power is depicted as the shopkeeper keeps lowering the price for her, highlighting how she’s not easily fooled.
Furthermore, in this scene Ilsa looks angelic; she wears modest clothing, with only her arms showing, meeting the institution’s expectations from the Hays Code, being seen as a screen ‘Godess’.
Both her hair and make-up enhance her features, making her look flawless and glamorous without being distracting.
Curtiz, once again uses high key lighting on Ilsa to reinforce her angelic look.
Context- New pt.2
Contralily, there opening scene of Bonnie and Clyde, rejects the conventions of Classical Hollywood who often opened with an establishing shot.
The first shot is an extreme close up of Bonnies lips, as the camera zooms out we see Bonnies heavy, noticeable make-up and nudity, which rejects the modesty Ilsa embodies.
Interestingly, Penn uses a close up of Bonnie looking through her bedframe, the bars of the bed frame may highlight her sexual frustration, which would shock a Classical Hollywood audience.
It may also indicate she’s bored and frustrated as she’s trapped in her small home town.
The mise en scene used expands this idea from the bird cage, and also the dolls, which are childlike artifacts, reflecting the idea she’s a grown women trapped in a childish place.
Once again reflecting her craving to loose her innocence and succumb to her sexual desires, and become liberated.
Spotting Clyde out her window, we see her beam with excitement as theres a new face in town. The low angle, medium shot of Bonnie hurdling down the stairs while doing up her dress, reinforcing she has no composure, as she sees here chance for freedom in Clyde.
This also establishes the dynamic force in their relationship.
Context- Conclusion
In conclusion, Classical Hollywood was ran by the Big 5 and their creativity was inhibited by the Hays code.
Contralily, New Hollywood rejected the Hays code and allowed themselves free creativity over their productions.
