COMP 1A: Auteur Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three criteria of auteur theory according to Andrew Sarris?

A

Technical understanding, personal style, and interior meanings.

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2
Q

How many films did Michael Curtiz direct?

A

Over 170 films.

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3
Q

What genre is Michael Curtiz credited with influencing through his work on “Casablanca”?

A

Film noir.

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4
Q

Which cultural movements influenced Arthur Penn’s work?

A

French New Wave and increasing youth rebellions.

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5
Q

What personal connection did Arthur Penn have to the Great Depression?

A

He was born in 1920 and was aware of the Great Depression, which influenced his depiction of violence and settings in his films.

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6
Q

What famous line did Hal B. Wallis write for “Casablanca”?

A

‘This is the start of a beautiful friendship’ - The famous last line revealing America’s new involvement in WWII.

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7
Q

What significant decision did Warren Beatty make regarding the film “Bonnie and Clyde”?

A

He convinced the studio to re-release the film, making it the second highest-grossing film for Warner Bros.

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8
Q

What lighting technique did Arthur Edeson use in “Casablanca” that is reminiscent of his previous work on “The Maltese Falcon”?

A

Chiaroscuro lighting.

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9
Q

What was Burnett Guffey’s opinion on Arthur Penn’s European influence in “Bonnie and Clyde”?

A

He believed it would ruin the film.

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10
Q

What was the Epstein Brothers’ most decisive contribution to “Casablanca”?

A

Their famous, witty dialogue.

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11
Q

What editing style is Dede Allen known for?

A

Jump cuts

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12
Q

What was Jack Warner’s stance on anti-Nazi films before America’s involvement in WWII?

A

He was making anti-Nazi films and had a pro-war ideology.

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13
Q

Name three characteristics of the Classical Hollywood style.

A

Linear, 3-act structure; predictable; invisible style (continuity editing).

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14
Q

Name two influences on the New Hollywood style.

A

Art House European directors and unpredictable narrative structures.

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15
Q

What was a potential hindrance to Michael Curtiz’s artistic freedom during the Golden Age of Hollywood?

A

Factory line production due to vertical integration.

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16
Q

What was Arthur Penn’s background before becoming a film director?

A

He had a background in TV, which allowed for more experimentation

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17
Q

How did Hal B. Wallis demonstrate his impact on the film industry according to Ronald Reagan?

A

He was described as a “one man walking major studio.”

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18
Q

What scene in “Bonnie and Clyde” might not have been included without Warren Beatty’s intervention?

A

The scene demonstrating Bonnie’s sexual freedom in initiating oral sex with Clyde.

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19
Q

What is a common trope of expressionist influence seen in Arthur Edeson’s work on “Casablanca”?

A

The use of chiaroscuro lighting.

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20
Q

What was Burnett Guffey’s approach to lighting in “Bonnie and Clyde”?

A

He used side lighting on Bonnie’s face due to the restrictions of having no studio lighting.

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21
Q

What was the Epstein Brothers’ attitude towards the chaotic production process of “Casablanca”?

A

They were demotivated and just focused on getting the job done.

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22
Q

What innovative editing technique did Dede Allen use to keep the narrative moving?

A

Using sound from the previous scene while editing the next scene.

23
Q

How did Jack Warner contribute to the war effort during WWII?

A

He donated money to allied forces and asked his staff to donate up to 10% of their pay if they could.

24
Q

What editing rule is a characteristic of the Classical Hollywood style?

A

The 180-degree rule.

25
Q

What narrative structure is typical of the New Hollywood style?

A

Unpredictable narrative structure.

26
Q

How did Orry Kelly’s costume design for “Casablanca” adhere to the restrictions of the time?

A

The costumes were glamorous but realistic, adhering to the Hays Code restrictions. Also using materials available at a time fo war - cotton and linen.

27
Q

What was Theadora Van Runkle’s approach to Bonnie’s costumes in “Bonnie and Clyde”?

A

She aimed to keep Bonnie feminine and chic, reflecting a 1940s Warner Bros homage.

28
Q

How many films did Owen Marks edit during his career?

A

Over 90 films.

29
Q

For which prestigious award was Owen Marks nominated?

A

The Oscar.

30
Q

What movement influenced Benton and Newman’s writing style in “Bonnie and Clyde”?

A

The New Sentimentality.

31
Q

How did Benton and Newman’s script for “Bonnie and Clyde” reflect the influence of second-wave feminism?

A

Through Bonnie’s entrapment in the first scene and her nudity and sexual confidence around Clyde.

32
Q

What societal changes did Benton and Newman’s work in “Bonnie and Clyde” reflect?

A

Anti-establishment attitudes and youth rebellion.

33
Q

What significant cultural movements were Benton and Newman personally invested in?

A

Feminism and the Counterculture movements.

34
Q

What type of contract did Humphrey Bogart have with the studio?

A

A 7-year contract.

35
Q

How was Humphrey Bogart’s image controlled by the studio?

A

His image was controlled to fit similar characters to those he played in “The Maltese Falcon,” but subverted to fit the ideology of the time.

36
Q

What famous line did Humphrey Bogart contribute to “Casablanca”?

A

“Here’s looking at you, kid.”

37
Q

What was Max Steiner’s nationality and how did it influence his work?

A

He was an Austrian and as an immigrant will have contributed to his emotional involvement on the film.

38
Q

What is the name of the leitmotif composed by Max Steiner for “Casablanca”?

A

“As Time Goes By.”

39
Q

How did Max Steiner’s music contribute to the film “Casablanca”?

A

It added to the emotional narrative and meanings, serving as a key narrative device.

40
Q

What aspect of “Casablanca” did Casey Robinson drive in the script?

A

He drove the direction of the love story.

41
Q

How did the chaotic production process of “Casablanca” affect the screenwriters, including Casey Robinson?

A

They were demotivated as new scenes were being “thrown about” every day, leading to a lack of clarity on how the chaos would end.

42
Q

What was Howard Koch’s main contribution to the script of “Casablanca”?

A

He contributed to the political allegory in the script.

43
Q

Under whose contract were Howard Koch and the Epstein Brothers working during the making of “Casablanca”?

A

They were under contract with Jack Warner and Hal B. Wallis. (Warner Bros)

44
Q

How did Warren Beatty influence Jack Warner regarding “Bonnie and Clyde”?

A

Beatty encouraged Jack Warner to stump up cash for the film due to Beatty’s star power and homage to 1940s Warner Bros gangster flicks.

45
Q

What was Jack Warner’s stance on the film “Bonnie and Clyde”?

A

He hated the film and refused to show it initially.

46
Q

What was Jack Warner’s background and how did it influence his film production choices?

A

He was a Jewish immigrant who made anti-Nazi films prior to America’s involvement in WWII.

47
Q

What was Burnett Guffey’s opinion on Arthur Penn’s European influence in “Bonnie and Clyde”?

A

He believed it would ruin the film.

48
Q

What was Hal. B. Wallis’s influence on Casablanca?

A

Wallis wrote the famous last line of ‘Casablanca’ which reveals the ideology of America’s new involvement in WW2, reflecting the Warner Bros outspoken attitude towards the isolationist attitude that had been adopted after WWI, and becoming one of the most famous film lines of all time

49
Q

How did Benton and Newman write Bonnie’s character to be like?

A

Bonnie’s entrapment in the first scene connoted through the images of bars, and her nudity and sexual confidence around Clyde demonstrating the sexual freedom for women that emerged through the second wave of feminism and the FDA approving the pill a few years before ‘Bonnie and Clyde’s’ release, anti-establishment attitudes reflecting the youth rebellion at the time.

50
Q

What did Arthur Penn say about Dede Allen?

A

First to be given sole editing credit – ‘she wasn’t an editor; she was a constructionist’ Penn

51
Q

How did Julius Epstein feel about the process of writing for Casablanca?

A

Julius Epstein himself claims that they were just doing their job and getting the job done, the lack of personal investment demonstrated through absence of an ending until the day that the final scene was to be shot

52
Q

What was the agreed lighting style for “Bonnie and Clyde” according to Burnett Guffey?

A

There would be no slick lighting, especially not on Faye Dunaway, to achieve a documentary aesthetic

53
Q

What technical skill did Burnett Guffey offer when filming inside real locations such as the bank in “Bonnie and Clyde”?

A

He provided technical skill for filming inside real locations, contributing to the film’s raw realism. Drawing on his influence from being trained in the studio system.

54
Q

What must be remember about the principle of auteur?

A

Individual roles are important, and all contribute (on differing levels) just remember film is a collaborative medium.