Discuss the arguments against auteur theory
Discussion 1- Kaley Jones–Tim Burton
As you construct your initial post, focus on the importance of auteur theory in film analysis and interpretation.
Name a director who you would consider an auteur and explain your reasoning.
There are many directors who are widely known for their styles and personal visions, but none are so recognized as Tim Burton. An auteur is explained in our text as an author who imprints his/her personal visions on the film they are directing. Tim Burton is certainly a well-known and respected director for various reasons-mainly pertaining to his cinematic characteristics and visions. Due to his unique blend of horror and fantasy themed films, Burton’s vision is recognized world-wide. It is anticipated that any Burton film will have innovative characters, creative interpretation of different worlds, and the casting of highly-regarded actors who can accurately play his outlandish characters. With these signature characteristics and productions, Tim Burton fits the description of an ‘auteur’ perfectly.
Discuss the arguments against auteur theory and provide examples to support your points.
Critics who disagree with the auteur theory largely believe that it is not an accurate discussion forum for the success (or lack of) for any film. One of the prominent arguments against the auteur theory states that the theory gives the author too much recognition or power of the films impact. “One of the problems with auteur theory is that it tends to diminish the role that others play in the creation of a film” (“Auteur Theory”, 2016). With this approach, nay-sayers argue that a films’ success cannot rest solely on the achievements and signature styles of the director. The emphasis on the director’s characteristics and development do not equate to the interpretation skill and acting skill of the other cast members and can often leave the analysis of the film incomplete. Those who oppose the theory also argue that knowledge used to build the plot of the film may also be exclusive. “Interior meaning seems to be what those in the know, know. It’s a mystique-and a mistake” (Kael, 1963). The issue of ‘common knowledge’ is highly varied and may contribute to ill-placed allegiance to a director due to their supposed signature style, when truly it is leveraged from a place of exclusive knowledge.
Examine how the auteur theory influences audiences and critics, using examples from film criticism, film marketing campaigns, and your own personal experience.
The general film-enjoying public basis their decisions of what films to see on their experience with the director, the theme, and the actors in the film. Through using the auteur theory as an analysis tool, critics and marketing campaigns can manipulate the potential audience. Targeting specific audiences that feel aligned to particular directors due to their personal vision will increase box office sales of that film. Similarly, critics who review films may be predetermined to look for consistent patterns within a film based on the directors’ signature styles. Marketing campaigns such as TV commercials and social media often times contribute to the overall success of a film by toting information about the films director and flashing ‘classic’ styles of the auteur that the public has come to expect of them.” The auteur theory of criticism gives them creative credit for their films and at the same time turns them into stars” (Goodykoontz, Jacobs, 2016). In regards to Tim Burton, personally, I will always feel a desire to see any of his films based on the oddity and imaginative plots he designs. Despite film critiques or marketing for any of his films, I would still venture to any of his films based on the dark and twisted fantasy escape his films offer as well as exposure to the talent of his normal cast, such as Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Burton has said: “I have a problem when people say something’s real or not real, or normal or abnormal. The meaning of those words for me is very personal and subjective” (Tim Burton Biography).His very interpretation of life and differences among human interactions is what set his signature vision in films. This approach to the human experience of life is what makes his films a joy to experience and is also what contributes to excellent critical analyses of his films.
References
Auteur Theory (n.d.). Retrieved from http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/screen/auteur%20theory.html
Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.) [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/
Kael, P., Kauffmann, S., Lambert, G., & Sarris, A. (1963). Films of the quarter. Film Quarterly, 16(3), 61-64.
Tim Burton Biography (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.biography.com/people/tim-burton-9542431#batman-and-beyond
Discussion 1 -Steven Spielberg
Chose Steven Spielberg to discuss auteur theory. He has directed some of my favorite movies of the war genre. Those would be Saving Private Ryan, War Horse and Schindler’s List. While he has directed many, many movies, it could easily be argued for him to be an auteur director. Even beyond the war movies I mentioned, the same could be said about this directing of movies, such as the Indiana Jones movies, Hook, and The Goonies. His style is easily recognizable in these. Although these movies give credence to the auteur theory, one could argue against it by looking at some of the many other movies he has directed. Directors who have done many less movies could be argued easier for the auteur theory. Directors with a broader history, such as Spielberg, make it harder to draw conclusions. Many times the trailers and marketing advertisements, help to connect certain directors, but that is not always the case. According to V. Renee, “Our most popular and treasured directors tend to have a signature style, that special touch that is all their own, that lets the audience know, right away, whose hands sculpted the films they’re watching” (Renee, 2015). I think she said it best. She goes on to say that maybe it really doesn’t matter. Just enjoy the movie and quit arguing.
Works Cited
Renee, V. (2015, March 12). What’s an Auteur. Retrieved from No Film School: http://nofilmschool.com/2015/03/whats-auteur-complete-breakdown-provacative-rebel-theory
Discussion 2- Kaley Jones-Lord of the Rings
From the AFI’s 10 top 10 list, under the Fantasy section, I have chosen to analyze the most brilliant and recognized cast from Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring. As one of the most epic tales of our times, the actors had be incredibly versatile and prepared to embark on a journey to building J.R.R. Tolkien’s characters on screen-making the mammoth of a task a truly remarkable piece of acting genius.
Identify three actors from your film and classify each according to the acting category listed in your text. Explain your reasons for classifying the actors as you do. Use specific references to the film and pay special attention to how these decisions impacted characterization. Also, consider the impact of any realistic or stylized portrayals within the film.
Ian McKellen (Gandalf)-McKellen is a renowned actor for various films, but for this epic trilogy, McKellen leveraged his skills in acting to balance stylized and realism techniques. Following the outlined text from the Lord of the Rings books required McKellen to follow a script closely. This portion of his acting was stylized due it drawing attention to the acting as well as provides confines for McKellens’ character-Gandalf-to stay within. To the contrary of the pre-determined text and mannerisms, McKellen also balance his dialogue with Frodo (Elijah Wood) to be reminiscent of a regular human interaction. “This is acting that doesn’t draw attention to itself but instead gives the impression of genuine human action and reaction” (Goodykoontz, Jacobs, 2016). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P1wb1Dpyjc. It is this balance between drawing attention to the acting and then transitioning to the sweet interaction of friends in a realistic fashion that exemplifies McKellens’ skill in acting.
Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins)-Wood has made multiple appearances in various fantasy films, but remains most recognized for his role as Frodo Baggins in The Lord of The Rings trilogy. In the first of the three films, Wood is cast in a very stylistic role. Much of his acting outline very specifically in the books in regards to mannerism and dialogue. The acting that Wood participates in draws attention to his script and directed actions. Most notably, the stylized acting can be seen in Frodo’s obsession over the ring. Its power is excessive and exaggerated through Wood’s acting.
Andy Serkis (Gollum)-As an integral part of the film, Serkis is well known for his method acting style. While fully taking the role of a multi-personality, ring-obsessed, magic-entranced hobbit, Serkis displayed incredible ability to float effortlessly between the two personalities. Between his love and hate relationships with the ring and the love hate relationship with himself, the character was personified by Serkis facial expressions and dialogue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbW-Zv_kR5Q. Furthermore, Serkis inhabits the character to truly intrigue the audience in to attempting to understand if he is a good or evil for. The ability to bring human feelings and inner-conflict to a role requires deep characterization and improvisation, which method acting styles allows for.
Focus on one of the actors you’ve discussed. Based on other films the actor has been in, would this actor always be placed in the same category? If so, what does this say about the category or actor? If not, what can you infer about the flexibility of these categories? Provide evidence (references from other films, including film clips and stills) to support your argument.
The incredibly talented Andy Serkis, who plays Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is renowned for his boundary pushing ability to convey powerful meanings while confined to a capture suit. “No actor has performed as many leading roles in a performance-capture suit as Serkis” (Medeiros, 2014). From Planet of The Apes to timeless films like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Serkis is cast in prominent roles requiring his specific set of skills. His unique ability to transmit a powerful image, message, and look through the CGI tracking technology is setting Serkis apart from other actors, securing his future in similar category films. “…the Method requires that actors draw on their own memories and experiences to reach the heart of a character, so that they more genuinely feel the emotions they’re portraying instead of just pretending to.” (Goodykoontz, Jacobs, 2016). Through leveraging his human experience, new characters are born with impactful human parallels. He conceived Gollum as an addict whose inner struggle translated into an out-of-control convulsive physicality” (Medeiros, 2014). His commitment to the role went even deeper, where he spent hours in isolation searching for Gollum’s’ character within himself. For King Kong, he followed a group of wild mountain gorillas in Rwanda for two weeks to internalize the grooming, feeding, and traveling techniques of gorillas. Although I do not generally believe that one character is chosen for a specific category of film, I would say that Andy Serkis is an exception. As he grows in popularity and acting, he becomes even more rooted in this method style acting. In the following clip, we can see his ability to draw on his experience and relationship with a few of the major characters he has represented: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAgO1rL65sk. The acting style itself may not be flexible for Serkis, but his roles are very much varied. The method style acting he has committed himself to allows for his gift of embodying the character to carry his career and name into stardom.
References
Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.) [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/
Medeiros, J. (2016). Andy Serkis is changing the face of film-making. Retrieved December 18, 2016, from http://www.wired.co.uk/article/planet-of-the-apes-andy-serkis
Motion picture. (2001). United States: New Line Cinema. Retrieved December 18, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbW-Zv_kR5Q
Motion picture. (2001). United States: New Line Cinema. Retrieved December 18, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P1wb1Dpyjc
Total Film (2014). Retrieved December 18, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAgO1rL65sk
discussion 2
I chose to watch and review Saving Private Ryan. The characters I will study are Tom Hanks as Captain Miller, Matt Damon as Private Ryan, and Jeremy Davies as Corporal Upham the interpreter. The first, Tom hanks, I would classify as Realism. In his role he gave a very real feeling of a leader grappling with many life and death decisions that arise during a war. In the following scene (http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2607875865) he tries to rally his troops who are ready to give up on the mission of finding Ryan. In the scene he makes the mission more real by encompassing his wife and family as a reason for being successful and being able to go home. The second actor and category is Matt Damon as Private Ryan. He seemed to be using the Method type acting. His lines seemed more rehearsed and memorized. He was a little stiffer throughout the film. The third is Jeremy Davies as Corporal Upham, a bumbling clerk and interpreter who I would classify as stylized acting. His acting is over the top as a scared soldier who isn’t ready or willing, to go to the front lines. At the end of the following clip when Captain Miller employs him as his interpreter, he is fumbling and dropping things as he tries to get out of his new role (http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/244135/Saving-Private-Ryan-Movie-Clip-Public-Relations-Mission.html).
Tom Hanks is certainly not always using realism in his film as seen by his portrayal of Forrest in Forrest Gump and as Josh on Big. Hanks has mastered many roles and characters throughout his career and is a very diversified actor. He could never be type-cast as a certain type of actor or style.
References
IMDB, Inc. (2016). Saving Private Ryan. Retrieved from IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2607875865
Turner Classic Movies, Inc. (2016). Saving Private Ryan-Public Relations Mission. Retrieved from Turner Classic Movies: http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/244135/Saving-Private-Ryan-Movie-Clip-Public-Relations-Mission.html
