Pt. 1- film theory terms

Question 1

medium specificity/specificity thesis

Answer 1

filmmaker must stress peculiarities of medium to make it art

Question 2

medium essentialism

Answer 2

Soviet film theorists-
Editing is the essence of film
Editing controls the “psychological guidance” of the spectator, this guidance of attention, control is the “basic method” of film
Editing is a form of construction, building
Editing impacts spectator perceptually, cognitively, and emotionally

Question 3

Symbolism

Answer 3

Director makes specific choices on what scenes to pair, etc.

Question 4

Rapid editing

Answer 4

montage of scenes edited together rapidly to express something, i.e. machine gun firing on crowd

Question 5

complete film

Answer 5

reproduces perceptual experience of reality in color, 3D, sound

Question 6

Anti-mimetic conception of art

Answer 6

Pudovkin, Arnheim- Film cannot just be a simple fixation of the events happening, but also a representation of this event, this difference makes “film art”

Question 7

montage

Answer 7

Soviet Film theorists, mainly Eisenstein- combination of two representations that give rise to a concept contained in neither representation, and collision- an idea derives from the collision of two factors

Question 8

The “dialectic”

Answer 8

Because the mind works dialectically (synthesis of two colliding ideas), films must be dialectical in order to influence the mind. This can be Perceptual, Emotional, Intellectual

Question 9

Modernity thesis

Answer 9

Properties of film bring about changes in modernity/ modern life
on Political, social, cultural level.
“The film corresponds to profound changes in the apperceptive apparatus– changes that are experienced on an individual scale by the man in the street in big- city traffic, on a historical scale by every present-day citizen”

Question 10

the “superstructure”

Answer 10

Marxist POV- Changes in the superstructure are determined by changes in the base or forces of production

Question 11

Aura

Answer 11

“That which withers in the age of mechanical reproduction is the aura of the work of art”
1. Artwork occupied a single location- people would have to go to it to see it
2. Artwork was physically unique, only one of it exists
3. Viewer maintained a mental distance from the artwork- contemplation, worshipping the artwork
Mechanical reproduction eliminates aura in all three senses
Distraction (T.o.D) is extinguishing the aura of art, instead of worshipful contemplation attention is getting shifted around

Question 12

Theory of distraction

Answer 12

Film fosters “distraction”-a form of reception
The distracting element of film is interruption, sudden constant change of scenes- therefore not contemplation, so film is fundamentally different from still painting or sculpture.
Distraction is extinguishing the aura of art, instead of worshipful contemplation attention is getting shifted around

Question 13

Mechanical Reproduction in elimination of aura

Answer 13

Art is reproduced and brought to the mass, therefore instead of worshipping and contemplating it, viewers have a critical, judging, analyst view.

Question 14

“Critical Theory”

Answer 14

Horkheimer and Adorno- contradictory and dialectical nature of social reality- Art reflects social reality.
Mass culture, movies, ads, etc. all have the same basic effect: the annihilation of the individual, even fascistic

Question 15

Culture Industry

Answer 15

Culture given to the masses thru mech. Rep. is product of increasing affluence, i.e. radio, film, TV, magazines, novels, etc.- annihilates the individual- mass culture is fascist

Question 16

“Realism theory” written in “Ontology of the Photographic Image”

Answer 16

Bazin- photography and cinema finally satisfy our obsession with realism
1. Reality as Illusion
a) Trompe l’oeil- create the illusion that what the representation depicts is really present; b) make what the representation depicts appear like it would in reality, ie Illusion of depth
2. Ontological Realism
subject of photo existed in front of camera when photo was taken
3. Epistemic Realism
We can submit photo as evidence, but not a drawing
4. Realism as Transparency/Presence
The actual object or subject that is being photographed is transferred into the photo, its actually present in the photo, like leaving a fingerprint
5. Perceptual Realism
The perceptual experience of what is depicted in representation approximates the experience of reality
6. Renoir’s Realism
Renoir is the “most realistic” of filmmakers, first to take step towards realism. Doesn’t construct his films around situations and dramatic developments, but beings, things, and fact

Question 17

Myth of Total Cinema

Answer 17

Bazin- Inventors saw cinema as a total illusion of the outside world in sound, color, and relief- Similar to Arnheim’s “complete film”

Question 18

Auteur theory

Answer 18

A French Theory from the 1950s describing film directors who are the “authors,” or primary creative agents in their films, with a personality or signature
1) competence - the technical competence of a director is a criterion of value [none = cast out from the pantheon of directors]
2) personality - distinguishable personality of the director as a criterion of value [characteristic style; reflects the way Dir. Thinks and feels.]
3) [ultimate] interior meaning - tension between a dir. Personality and his material. [mise-en-scene]

Question 19

Modernism

Answer 19

Burch advocates visible film style that is liberated from narrative, very modernist view
A film style less smooth, stresses the structures that it is based on

Question 20

Formalism

Answer 20

artistic value lies in an artwork’s form/style not its subject matter

Question 21

Anti-Essentialism

Answer 21

Perkin’s Anti-essentialism located essence of film art in film’s hybrid character of TWO essences
Filmmaker can reproduce reality but also re-order the experience of reality