Unit 11: Film Studies

Tutor: Faustina Starrett

Holly Yates

Wider Film Theories

Feminist film theory
The theory developed out of the second wave of feminism along with the
development of womens studies. Feminist scholars began taking cues
from the new theories arising from these movements to analysing
film. Early attempts in the 1970s were generally focused on sociological
theory, and focused on the function women had in particular film
narratives, or genres or stereotypes.
There are a few themes to the feminist film theory. One of those themes is
the gaze and the female spectator. Many feminist film critics have pointed
to the "male gaze" that dominates classical Hollywood filmmaking. Budd
Boetticher summarises the view thus: "What counts is what the heroine
provokes, or rather what she represents. She is the one, or rather the love
or fear she inspires in the hero, or else the concern he feels for her, who
makes him act the way he does. In herself the woman has not the
slightest importance."
Laura Mulvey identifies three looks which objectify women in cinema. The
first is how the man on the screen sees the women, the second is the
spectator, the third look blends the first two together it is the male
audiences perspective. In her paper Mulvey calls out for a rebuilding of
cinema as it is the only way to free women from their objectification.
The next theme is Realism and Counter cinema The early work of
Marjorie Rosen and Molly Haskell on the representation of women in film
was part of a movement to make women more realistic in narrative
cinema and documentary. 1

Formalist film theory

Formalist theory in general is the synthesis (or lack of synthesis) of the
multiple elements of film production. Formalist theory is a unique one as it
embraces both idealistic and auteuristic ideologies.
Ideological Formalism
Two examples:
The classic Hollywood has a distinct style, sometimes it is called
the Institutional Mode of Representation: continuity editing, massive
coverage, three-point lighting, "mood" music, dissolves, all designed to
make the experience as pleasant as possible
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_film_theory

Unit 11: Film Studies

Tutor: Faustina Starrett

Holly Yates

The other is film noir this is marked by lower production values, darker
images, under lighting, location shooting and nihilism. 2

This theory celebrates the individual. This branch of criticism stems from
Truffaut. It was made to revive the art of cinema. By arguing that the
director was more like an author he sought to make cinema more of an
accepted art form such as literature or music or painting.

Marxist film theory

Marxist theory is the oldest form of film theory. Sergei Eisenstein and
many other Soviet filmmakers in the 1920s expressed the idea of
Marxism through films. Eisensteins solution was to shun the idea of a
single protagonist and instead move the action towards a group of people
which would propel the plot forward.
Marxist films focus on the lives of individuals and how they all matter, it
also shows that the individual can improve him or herself if they work hard
enough. With marriage and financial stability being the best reward. 3
Their movies often have reoccurring themes such as evil will be exposed
and dont get involved in things that do not involve you. The films tend to
attack the ideology of the time by discussing political subjects. They
operate against the norms of society and they like to make a point. 4

Surrealist film theory

Surrealist theory is a modern approach to film criticism. It has its origins in
Paris and it is related to Dada cinema. Surrealist cinema can be classified
by juxtapositions, the rejection of dramatic psychology, and a frequent
use of shocking imagery.
In his 2006 book Michael Richardson argues that surrealist woks cannot be
defined by style or form but rather as a result of the practice of
surrealism. Richardson writes: "Surrealists are not concerned with
conjuring up some magic world that can be defined as 'surreal'. Their
interest is almost exclusively in exploring the conjunctions, the points of
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formalist_film_theory

3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxist_film_theory

4 http://www.slideshare.net/pturner1010/marxist-film-theory

Unit 11: Film Studies

Tutor: Faustina Starrett

Holly Yates

contact, between different realms of existence. Surrealism is always

about departures rather than arrivals."
Surrealism was the first literally and artistic movement to become
seriously associated with cinema. Many surrealist artists are interested in
cinema as a medium for their art.
While there are numerous films which are true to the movement of
surrealism, many other films which have been classified as Surrealist
simply contain parts of surrealist ideas. Rather than "Surrealist film" the
more accurate term for such works may be "Surrealism in film.5
Dogma
Dogma 95 was an avant-garde filmmaking started in 1995 by the Dutch
filmmakers Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg. They created the
Dogma 95 Manifesto and the Vow of chastity they created these rules
for filmmaking to go back to the traditional values of story, acting and
theme.
The goal of the Dogma film school was to Purify filmmaking. By refusing
to use professional gimmicks such as expensive postproduction works.
They believed that by using this approach they could better engage with
the audience, as they would not be distracted by overproduction.
They referred to the rules they made as vows. The vows were:

Shooting must be done on location

Music must not be used unless it occurs were the scene is being
shot
The camera must be hand held
The film must be in colour
Optical work and filters are forbidden
The movie must no contain superficial action
Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden
Genre movies are not acceptable
The film format must be Academy 35mm
The director must not be credited

Although the directors themselves made up the vows they have

confessed to breaking them during the filming process. 6

National Cinema
5 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealist_cinema

6 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogme_95

Unit 11: Film Studies

Tutor: Faustina Starrett

Holly Yates

National Cinema is a term used in film theory to describe the cinema of a

specific country. Film provides a unique insight into the culture of a
country particularly when the output of the country is high.
A film, to be classified as national cinema based on the financing for the
film, the language spoken in the film, the nationalities or dress of the
characters, the setting, music or cultural elements present in the film. 7
It addresses complex issues between cinema and national identity.

Bibliogpraphy
Feminist theory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_film_theory
Formalist theory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formalist_film_theory
Marxist film theory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxist_film_theory
http://www.slideshare.net/pturner1010/marxist-filmtheory

Surrealist cinema: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealist_cinema

Dogma: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogme_95
National Cinema: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_cinema
http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/theorising-nationalcinema-valentina- vitali/?K=9781844571192

7 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_cinema

8 http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/theorising-national-cinema-valentina-vitali/?
K=9781844571192