SO YOU WANNA BE A FILM NERD EPISODE 4: auteur theory
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- “I liked almost anybody that made you realize who the devil was making the picture." - Howard Hawks
"Goethe? Shakespeare? Everything they put their name to is supposed to be good, and people rack their brains to find beauty in the silliest little thing they bungled. All great talents, like Goethe, Shakespeare, Beethoven, Michelangelo, created not only beautiful works, but things that were less than mediocre, quite simply awful." - Leo Tolstoy
“The evolution of Western art towards greater personalization should definitely be considered as a step forward, as a refinement of culture, but only as long as this individualization remains only a final perfection and does not claim to define culture. Were one to attribute to creative man, in the face of all psychological probability, an unflagging richness of inspiration, one would have to admit that this inspiration always comes up against a whole complex of particular circumstances which make the result, in the cinema, a thousand times more chancy than in painting or in literature."
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“The politique des auteurs consists, in short, of choosing the personal factor in artistic creation as a standard of reference, and then assuming that it continues and even progresses from one film to the next. It is recognized that there do exist certain important films of quality that escape this test, but these will systematically be considered inferior to those in which the personal stamp of the auteur, however run-of-the-mill the scenario, can be perceived even minutely." - Andre Bazin
"Maurice Nadeau wrote in an article in the newspaper Combat: 'If Descartes lived today, he would write novels.' With all due respect to Nadeau, a Descartes of today would already have shut himself up in his bedroom with a 16mm camera and some film, and would be writing his philosophy on film: for his Discours de la Methods would today be of such a kind that only the cinema could express it satisfactorily.” - Astruc
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www.letterboxd....
struccimovies@gmail.com
This episode is definitely both more political and more academic than any of the previous ones (and it has me struggling with more French words- apologies for my pronunciation, haha). I tried to do as much service as I could to both sides of the argument. Honestly, in making this I came out way less supportive of the theory than I was going in. I feel like in my previous readings and classes I took that auteur theory is just sort of taken for granted and isn't really challenged, which is a problem.
With regard to the political stuff towards the end of the video, I debated for ages on whether to keep it in. I figured it was better to risk controversy than to not give my full, honest opinion. This is a very personal webseries and I have more fun giving a sincere and open view rather than straining to be objective. I can't really be objective being both a woman an an editor, someone not nearly as valued as a male director would be by Sarris if you go by Kael's assessment. I also know (before anyone points it out, haha) that the majority of directors (or at least Euro and Hollywood ones) are white and male, but that's a problem the industry has as well (the percentage of female film school graduates versus the percentage of women employed in the industry, now, in 2015, is alarming). And I know Cahiers and whoever praised other PoC directors like Satyajit Ray, but I was trying to express fundamentally that A) gatekeepers deciding who auteurs are are going to make decisions on their own preferences and experiences, which are going to be limited and B) you should look outside of what auteur critics have written and try to experience as much of the world's cinema as you can.
Also in retrospect I could have covered more about the British magazine Movie, but I know almost nothing about it and this episode is already super dense and long.
Anyway!! Links of interest-
From the pieces i mentioned, here are the ones I found for free online-
Astruc www.newwavefilm...
Truffaut www.newwavefilm...
Sarris alexwinter.com/...
Kael film110.pbworks...
Quotes on the Auteur Theory:
• Quotes on the Auteur T...
• Quotes on the Auteur T...
Sarris obituary
www.independent...
What happened when Wes Anderson screened Rushmore for Kael
www.nytimes.com...
The ridiculous/incredible video I stole part of for the end of the episode
• Andrew Sarris and Paul...
Pauline Kael was such a witch. She is dearly missed this days.
Another important aspect most people forget is that before auteur theory,(in Hollywood) the author of the films was usually considered to be the producer, the director's role was primarily to sit with actors on the set and "direct" them, whereas the producers job was to oversee all the aspects, from the script to sound and other things, he's the one who choose the director too after all, you can see this most clearly even in modern animated films, because the only thing a regular director would NEED to do is direct the voice actors, which is a smaller part of the film than live actors and you also have a director of animation etc.
After the popularity of auteur theory and like New Hollywood it seems like things flipped, but in reality most directors considered auteurs are also their own producers(one of at least), which is precisely how they manage to leave their own touch.
Nice, Kael with the smackdown!
This video has been so helpful for my assignment looking at critiques of auteur theory - thank you! 😊 🙏
i’m making my way through this series this morning- and just wanted to pop up and say that I really appreciate how you format your video descriptions! The quotes were a really nice surprise to find, and your bibliography looks top-notch as well (though i haven’t tried to click through yet lol)
I’m really enjoying the series so far! feeling smart, feeling…..Artful 😎
Thank you for checking these out! Check out the Scanline series on hbomberguy's channel if you want more of my film history work, I quit doing it for the most part on my own but made those videos with him :)
@@StrucciMovies holy cow that’s you?? 😭😭 I’ve already watched everything on hbombs channel ~5x, i know scanline well already!
@@afowler13 yeah that's me! :)
These videos are fantastic! I hope you can make more!
+Steve Cohen Thank you! I have one (not a part of this series, but in the same style) going up in a couple hours :)
Oh God, Werner Herzog is such a legend, that "it's not a significant bullet" quote is like my favorite true story of a person still alive today. He got shot in the abdomen and just shrugged it off!!!
Hey Shannon, another nice video. Keep em coming .
+Olu Yomi Ososanya Thanks pal! :)
I tend to agree on your interpretation: the concept of the auteur is valuable, but some of the baggage that it carries with it (ie. auteur theory) has issues.
I really like this video structure, you give some general theory, your own perspective, some general criticisms and all of this with what seems to be genuine enthusiasm. Personally directors are somewhat like authors of books to me, they function as an indication of what I might like. Three enjoyable movies of the same director will make me interested in his/her future and past work. However, like with authors, I tend to take the same stance Foucault explained in his 'What is an author', that is that authors are unable to present their actual thoughts in their work, but instead make certain interpretations more likely and other less likely. However, the author isn't sitting next to me, telling me how I should read his/her book and why s/he chose certain words, nor does the director, the editor or the screenplay writer sit next to me in the cinema to explain where I should be looking and how I should interpret it.
I think that mentioning the Eurocentricity, the sexism and the racism (oh and their intersections) is absolutely necessary so you don’t have to feel bad about mentioning it (this is based on your description) To be honest, I never felt that film could be for me because I always got recommended these movies that exclude me - a black, East African, Muslim woman. I have just recently started gaining an interest through Ramos’ and Zhou’s channel Every Frame a Painting because they talked about Asian cinema (which isn’t white and Eurocentric). It is absolutely key to mention the gate keeping because it keeps great works and potentially passionate audiences out of the loop. Only people already included in the system can afford not to be political about this. So yes! Very needed
Great video! I think you covered the material very well and concisely.
Thank you! I always fear I haven't gone in-depth enough but I covered a lot of ground in about ten minutes haha
Thank you for this video
Pauline Kael is now my spirit animal. Also, this idea that certain work is "accidentally" great and other "accidentally" bad is just so nonsensical to me. It's not a fucking accident! Some people only reach great inspiration once in a lifetime, and some geniuses fall victim to their ego and produce mediocre work. If they can't comprehend this, then screw them. Nothing great is brought to life by accident, I think we can all agree with this; and I would go as far as to say that nothing mediocre either is brought to life by "accident". It's not accidental. Might be unconscious but not accidental. You can tell when it's gonna be bad or good. Anyone who ever been on a movie set know that there is NOTHING "accidental" about it... yet those fancy ass critiques never been on a movie set, but what do I know, right?!
I suspect a film has several auteurs: the photography director, screenwriter and other directors under the film director. It’s a collaboration of styles. The director (or producer?) chooses which auteurs he will work with.
Another great video essay Strucci! Looking forward to your next one :)
Do more videos, please. I love them a lot!!
Aww thank you! Editing film nerd 5 as we speak! :)
YEAHHHHHHH :)
:)
That's an interesting and informativ video essay. Keep up the good work! Greetings from Germany!
I think Auturism is a double edged sword. In hollywood, the best praised directors are known for theor style and they usually rake in academy awards or at least nominatons whenecer their latest movie comes out. But if they make a flop or do something different (Like M. Night Shymalan), people's expectations make them judge each consecutive picture from their last, and even critically accaimed filmmakers have to keep to a certain way of making movies, or they wouldn't be bankable. Would Tarantino make a musical? Probably not. That's why I like John Huston and Otto Preminger as well, because they weren't afraid to make different movies each time, even when some were failures, they were still interesting.
That ending remark by Kael would have been interesting to expand upon.
Auteurs that write their own screenplays and are their own producers like Christopher Nolan are rare and I have much respect for Nolan and other similar directors
You should watch some of Andrei Tarkovsky's work.
Also, I like your work and I love your voice.
Great vid, love your pace, congrats!
Nicely done. Keep 'em coming. ;)
Knew this was going to be a good video as soon as I heard The Third Man music!
PLEASE KEEP THESE COMING SHANNON
+Seven Deadly Cinema I will! I promise! I'm just kind of overwhelmed with all the stuff I'm trying to cover in 5 and I keep finding easier essay topics and making those haha. But I won't stop! I plan to have around 10 episodes in the series.
A director is like the leading general in an army. Everyone remembers Napoleon but not many people remember is some of the brilliant men who served under Napoleon and advised him like Davout and Ney not to mention the thousands of individual troops who were commanded by Napoleon and his marshals. so in short being a director is very important to the making of a movie because they are the ones who usually call a lot of the important shots however without the people you don't remember the editors,the screen writers,the actor who told Kubrick hey maybe you should do it slightly differently most successful films would not be as successes . I think the lack of others input was one of the reasons why napoleon continued for Russia and why George Lucas made the prequels as horrible as they were.
George Lucas didn’t direct the originals
Napoleon continued for russia because the russians planned, and were already mustering troops to invade Poland again. He had no choice, and well, at first literally won at Borodino and took moscow. Problem was russians burned everything to the ground, leaving only wounded and prisoners behind, starving and dying, as their armies fled all the way to Finland. Scorched Earth "tactics", actually a war crime against humanity. It would take more than hundred years for brief independence of Poland, which would only last 19 years until Stalin and Hitler allied and destroyed Poland (again) together.
Where did you get your clips from, Bogdanovich/Kael/ etc. Im doing my own essay and I cant find any clips of directors speaking on the auteur theory
links in the description! :)
Love your series. Keep it up!
Yo, your voice is incredible and these videos are brilliant :)
Werner Herzog uses double negatives while talking. eg.: "it's NOT a very.. it's NOT a significant bullet" and "it's NOT.. NOT significant." Something Kubrick also does in Making The Shining. 1. Is it possible that this way of talking is done deliberately? 2. Could this be part of their auteurism? Anyhow: I really do like your videos.
He doesn't use double negative, he hesitate to finish his sentence. Saying "it's not... it's not" isn't a double negative, it's twice the same negative. Saying "it's not... not..." mean you're finding your words... You overthink waaaaaaaay too much.
8:51 I disagree with her statement about the script. i think a "good" director can make a "good" movie even with a "bad" script
Do you have any examples?
Mattchester Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil" is probably the first intentional example. Villeneuve's "Prisoners" is a more recent example. Or for a more bizarre example "Lady Snowblood"
Zeke Payne Wasn't Orson Welles furious with the studio because they didn't respect the script and recut the movie without his supervision? "His" version was completed only recently, based on his letter to the producers where he described every change that should've been made.
Mattchester His being upset really had nothing to do specifically with the script, During pre-pre-production, Welles was offered his pick out of a whole pile of scripts and he specifically requested the worst one.
Zeke Payne He's got a writing credit, though, and the final screenplay has him as the only author, so the original script was probably heavily edited and re-written by Welles himself.
Whats' the name of the background sound at 2:00 ?
in French an auteur is both a producer and a screenwriter. Michael Bay is not a screenwriter so not an auteur even if he produce.
would you ever consider doing a video on Vulgar Auteurism. You mentioned it in the video and I find it quite interesting, would love to see someone else's take on it.
Maybe! As like a smaller one-off video if I end up doing more of those, but not a film nerd episode. I don't like most of the directors associated with the movement but I love the idea of reassessing works maligned by critics.
I think auteur theory is an interesting topic to teach young people and/or the film illiterate, but ultimately it isn't particularly useful and inevitably falls into empty classification arguments about what circle Ridley Scott falls into, etc.
What was that at the end? Btw, really good essay about an important subject in film!
Thanks!! it's from this czcams.com/video/ghDXhSy8dmU/video.html I have no idea who made it or why but I watched the entire thing and kept cracking up. There is at least one other similar video on CZcams. This one is actually the first result if you search "sarris kael" haha
Great video, but you talk way too fast (in my opinion). I can't show these in class, even though I think they might be a nice addition (slowing them down is too slow unfortunately).
+Rene Fi My film teacher showed me this video among others in order to explain Auteur theory. I found it invaluable in aiding my understanding of the theory and a definite must show in film classes as it condenses the information while keeping it detailed. I would recommend pausing after significant sections as you're correct about it conveying dense info rapidly. Hope this helps?
+jack robertson It does, but I don't teach film classes only regular English as a second language ... so on top of the difficult content (for younger students) this is also difficult language wise.
Thanks for the time to comment anyway though.
Welcome to youtube, its only getting faster
i agree, it's too fast not only the speech itself, but there's no pause for processing the information. english is my second language.
You could show the video, or excerpts of it, or pause in between as suggested, and then maybe hand out the transcript (or parts of it) to go through it again slowly? Or maybe, if you discuss some of the points beforehand, it'll be easier to follow along the video. (The auto-generated transcript isn't 100% correct, so you'd have to put some work into writing that I guess)
*it's a film about dogs*
Really love Rob Sawyer... but why was he (a famous science fiction author whose work has hardly ever been adapted outside Flash Forward) a talking head/expert asked about film direction?
4:52 Banal slickness
I like your videos and I love what you're trying to do here, but I think you missed the mark with what us beginners need to hear. I've never seen any of these movies. This series is just a lot of meaningless name dropping references.
It's cool to see a criticism of auteur theory, and I can apply this same concept to other things I enjoy, like video games. Applied to film though, it's clearly a level 2 discussion that I have no business engaging with.
Talk a bit slower, please. This is way too fast.