Unit 26: Film
Studies
Assignment 1 of 1
The Auteur
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| I enjoy playing the audience like a piano. |
The Auteur Theory
In film criticism the auteur theory is when a
director’s film reflects the director’s personal creative vision as if they
were the primary auteur. An auteur’s creative voice has to be distinct enough
to shine through all studio interference and the collective process. The word
‘auteur’ is the French meaning for ‘author’ and the definition of an auteur was
debated upon since the 1940’s. Andre Bazin and Rodger Leenhardt presented the
theory that it is the director that brings the film to life and uses the film
to express their thoughts and feelings about the subject matter as well as a
world view as an auteur, an auteur can use things like camera work, staging as
well as editing to add to their vision.
Alfred Hitchcock
The auteur I have chosen to write about is
Alfred Hitchcock, Hitchcock was an English film director and producer, he was
known as ‘The Master of Suspense’ and is probably one of the greatest film
maker of his time but his work is still known worldwide to this day. Hitchcock
directed a whopping 50 feature films which include well known titles such as;
Psycho (1960), Vertigo (1958), Rear Window (1954) and North by Northwest
(1959).
I think Alfred Hitchcock is a good example of an auteur
because he has very specific trademarks such as making a quick cameo in all of
his films including ‘Murder!’, ‘Blackmail’, ‘Easy Virtue’ and many others,
eventually he decided to appear in the beginning of his films because he knew
people would be looking out for him and he didn’t want to divert the attention
away from the story’s plot, he also likes to use close ups of a woman’s
hairstyle frequently. In order to create suspense Hitchcock would alternate
between different shots to extend cinematic time, he did the same for car
scenes, he would typically alternate between the characters point of view while
driving and a close up of who’s inside the car from the opposite direction, he
also known for his use of blondes playing the leading role, a few examples are
Anny Ondra, Ingrid Bergman, Joan Fontaine and Tippi Hedren.
Alfred Hitchcock liked to collaborate with the same people
on his films such as the actress Clare Greet who appeared in 7 of his films
over a span of 16 years and he also worked with Leo G Carroll on 6 of his
films. He also worked with the producer Michael Balcon on a few of his films.
In conclusion I believe Alfred Hitchcock is one of the
greatest auteurs ever, I think in 50 years’ time people will still know who he
is and what his films are all about. If you watched a Hitchcock film but didn’t
know it was one of his films you would still be able see his creative vision
would be able to pin point all the trademarks which makes a Hitchcock movie a
Hitchcock movie.
Actors should be treated like cattle.
Bibliography
Auteur
Theory- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auteur_theory
Hitchcock
1-http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/castaway/94e588c8
Hitchcock2-
http://www.london-attractions.info/alfred-hitchcock-london-locations-walk.htm
Hitchcock
3- http://www.goldenglobes.org/2012/08/tippi-hedren-wild-at-heart/
Hitchcock
4-
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/jun/13/alfred-hitchcock-north-by-northwest
Hitchcock
5- http://filmmakeriq.com/tag/richard-avedon/
Psycho-
http://seanpultzcommentaries.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/psycho-1960-commentary/
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