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Auteurs Film Analysis

Decent Essays

The idea of auteurship is one that is surrounded by the domineering presence of the white male, with little exception: a simple Google search of “film auteurs” produces thousands of results of websites listing off the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and David Lynch. However, one early female filmmaker—who, like too many other important women of the past, has been mostly buried by history—stands above the rest. Often viewed in the same regard as male contemporaries such as D. W. Griffith, Lois Weber used her platform as a universally acclaimed creator (at the time) to make socially conscious films that advocated the underprivileged. Although her works are heavily influenced by her belief in Christian charity, they never seem to steer into the dreaded “preachy” territory that so many other religiously motivated films fall victim to. …show more content…

and Hop, The Devil’s Brew, respectively). Despite these decidedly solemn moral topics, Weber possessed a deft talent for tempering her serious mission with the understanding that entertainment is necessary to convey that point. For example, aside from exposing “the blot” on society caused by underpaying educators and clergy members, The Blot also has a sense of humor—shown mostly through snarky title cards— as well as scenes of suspense (such as Mrs. Griggs attempting to steal a chicken from her neighbors’

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