Stanley Kubbrick Controversy

Inarritu’s use of handheld cameras, rapid editing, fluid camera work, and an extensive range of shots, from extreme long shots to extreme close-ups all play a role in the film’s appeal. The camera techniques assist Inarritu’s attempt to not cast a

During the course of this essay it is my intention to discuss the differences between Classical Hollywood and post-Classical Hollywood. Although these terms refer to theoretical movements of which they are not definitive it is my goal to show that they are applicable in a broad way to a cinema tradition that dominated Hollywood production between 1916 and 1960 and which also pervaded Western Mainstream Cinema (Classical Hollywood or Classic Narrative Cinema) and to the movement and changes that came about following this time period (Post-Classical or New Hollywood). I intend to do this by first analysing and defining aspects of Classical Hollywood and having done that,

This paper was prepared for Introduction to Film History, Module 1 Homework Assignment, taught by Professor Stephanie Sandifer.

Being that of a Classic Hollywood film, John Huston’s work “The Maltese Falcon” is an exemplar (and subsequently a subverter) of classical hollywood narrative. A film noir where the character’s motivations are as fluid and complex as the genre is known to be. A film whose narrative in of itself keeps the viewer guessing, and plot points are slowly pieced together by the viewer to discover the greater story at hand. It’s through these areas that “The Maltese Falcon” is a viewer’s guide to classical Hollywood narrative.

The paper discusses how the critical reception shifts over a period of time. The paper is mainly focused on the film "Sunrise", directed by F. Marnau in 1927. Initially the movie got mixed reviews from the critics; however this film became to be known as a cinematic masterpiece in future decades.

All films, regardless of their intended purposes, tend to capture a piece of history and culture within them. Film’s ability to capture images and produce a visual is truly unique, as other methods of storytelling, such as writing a book, fail to truly encapsulate the human experience. Using an aesthetic lens, film directors essentially preserve time, and bring us back to our roots. Through masterful manipulation of the aesthetic properties of film, Milos Forman succeeds in illuminating the historical and cultural significance of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, making it worthy of placement in the National Film Archive.

Just like in the essay “Z: The Movie That Changed My Life,” by Erdrich. Erdrich states that a movie was here first look at the world. “As it turned out, it was my first view of the world” (111

Orson Wells´ film “Citizen Kane,” has long been regarded as one of, if not the greatest film of all time. It has been beloved by critics for decades and will be at or near the top of any list of great movies. Part of this appeal lays in the fact that, “Citizen Kane,” challenges many of the preexisting narrative and technological aspects of filmmaking in the 1930s. “Citizen Kane,” defied or adjusted these traditional conventions in order to suit its own narrative and because of that it is still one of the most groundbreaking and influential films of all time.

This essay is based on films of the same story, told in different ways, with emphasis, themes, meaning and interpretation shaped or shaded by the situation of the storyteller; the cinematic mise-en-scene. Based on the same story, the films reveal and reflect the film-maker’s social norms and views, emerging from their different national contexts. While exploring the two films, this essay will examine elements of film language or semiotics: color saturation (or black and white), sound, setting, type of camera angles used; repetition of visual motifs (Metz, 1985). The two films explored were made in the 1960s. Neither film is American, yet both reveal influences and reflections on American cinema and American power; the Western film, adherence or detracting from Hollywood Classical cinema tropes, i.e. close-ups, shot-reverse-shot, POV, depth of field (Bazin, 1985: 128-9). The two films are Kurasawa’s Yojimbo (1961) and Leone’s Fistful of Dollars (1964), from Japan and Italy, respectively. How are they different; how similar? Why do they use the same plot,

Born in Paris in the middle of World War I, Jean-Pierre Grumbach knew he wanted to be a filmmaker at a very early age. After receiving a “Pathé Baby ” camera at the age of seven, he went on to create the equivalent of thirty short movies in various formats for friends and family by the time he turned twenty. His burgeoning career and dreams of being a film director were interrupted by Nazi Germany and the Second World War, but instead of evacuating to the United Kingdom he stayed in his homeland and fought, wisely changing his last name to Melville after his favorite author. Now a veteran of the Resistance in Nazi-occupied France, Jean-Pierre Melville later used his love of filmmaking and American gangster movies, accompanied by his disdain for the domineering French cinema establishment, to invent an entire genre of films and inspire an army of young directors to ignore conventional methods and embrace their own creations in their own unique ways.

It is easy to look into the eyes of a motion picture and dissect it for its form, style, underlying meanings, and other characteristics that separate it from a film and a classic. There are concrete elements that can be found in all classics that make it such a powerful and remarkable work. One of these elements is undoubtedly the concept of the auteur theory. The Auteur theory is described as a filmmaker, usually a director, who exercises creative control over his or her works and has a strong personal style. Next to this definition should be the line “-for more help see Stanley Kubrick.” He exemplifies all the characteristics of not just a film director, but also a film auteur because of the intellect and

The Lumiere brothers debuted their first motion picture on their brand new invention, the Cinematographe, in 1895. Since then, the movie industry has soared on to become one of the most influential mediums of the 20th and 21st century. 100 years later, Sarah Moon’s documentary Lumiere and Company (1995) reflected on the impact of the Lumiere brothers’ first films using testimonies and cinematic tributes from multiple international directors. Focusing on two Lumiere films; Workers Leaving the Factory (1895), and Demolition of a Wall (1896), as well as two cinematic tributes from two different directors; David Lynch, and Merzak Allouache, the everlasting impact of the Lumiere films can be recognized in both a current context and the context of

In 1982, the film Blade Runner amazed audiences and elevated the status quo of visual aesthetics in film. Even decades later, the movie’s impact on the majority of modern cinema is clearly visible. Blade Runner used classic lighting reminiscent of noir films from the 1940s with an addition feel of style and freshness which made it unique in the often predictable dystopian film genre. Blade Runner set a new standard of excellence for all dystopian movies to come by creating bold color palettes and paying such painstakingly close attention to detail.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold is a feature length documentary which comprises of three acts. Therefore, it is evident that this documentary follows a classical film basis. This linear narrative structure helps the audience to understand, connect and engage with the story. Morgan Spurlock’s documentaries are quite stylised and can be identified through the use of archival footage, location shooting with a handheld camera; long takes and synchronous (direct) sound recording.

From 1924 to 1930, Soviet Russia experienced transformations that not only shaped the nation’s political perspective, but also cultivated a name for itself within the arts. War in combination with the demand for social justice and change encouraged people toward creative expression. Dziga Vertov was one of the prominent figures in Russia during this time. He was a documentarian that focused on depicting the highest form of reality in film. Vertov believed the only way to convey the highest form of reality and creativity in film was to never include a predetermined story, prearranged props, or actors.