What is "Film Theory," Really?
TLDRThe video introduces film theory, contrasting it with film criticism and film history. Classical film theory emerged early in cinema's history, asking foundational questions about cinema's essence and legitimacy as an artform. Contemporary film theory shifted focus to cinema's social influence, meaning production, ideology perpetuation, and identity representation. Names given to early film technologies already embodied guesses about cinema's uniqueness - its association with writing, movement, and life. Even early spectators intuited key qualities of cinema in their reactions, articulating what made this new medium distinct.
Takeaways
- 😀 Classical film theory emerged in the early 20th century and was concerned with defining and legitimizing cinema as a new art form.
- 😮 Names and devices like 'Vitagraph' and 'Cinematograph' reveal early theoretical ideas about cinema's uniqueness.
- 🤔 Encountering cinema's novelty, Gorky saw it as a 'world without sound or color', like reality with something missing.
- 🧐 Gorky articulates cinema's uncanniness - seeming real but also clearly an image.
- 🤓 Contemporary theory shifted to analyzing cinema's meaning and ideology, after its art status was established.
- 👍 Classical theory expressed enthusiasm for cinema's artistic promise.
- 🤨 Contemporary theory was more suspicious of dominant Hollywood cinema.
- 🎬 Classical theory asked 'What is cinema?' and 'What does it do?'
- 🔍 Contemporary theory asked 'How does it mean?' and 'How does it perpetuate ideology?'
- 📝 Gorky struggled to describe cinema's 'extraordinary impression', suggesting its complexity as a new medium.
Q & A
What are the three main vocations or areas of film studies that film theory is distinct from?
-The three main vocations that film theory is distinct from are: 1) Film criticism or analysis 2) Film history 3) Understanding the medium specifics of film
What does Dudley Andrew say film theorists do?
-According to Dudley Andrew, film theorists make and verify propositions about film or some aspect of film.
How does David Bordwell define film theory?
-David Bordwell writes that theories are general hypotheses about how best to explain a definite phenomenon related to film.
What is a key characteristic of film theory according to the quotes provided?
-A key characteristic of film theory according to the quotes is that it involves making general claims, reflections, or propositions about the medium of film.
What were some key questions posed by classical film theorists?
-Some key questions posed by classical film theorists were: What is cinema and what does it do? What makes cinema distinct from other arts? What makes cinema a legitimate art form?
How did questions posed by contemporary film theorists differ?
-Contemporary film theorists asked different questions like: How does cinema produce meaning? How does cinema perpetuate dominant ideology? How does cinema address different identities?
What motivated the writing of classical film theorists?
-Classical film theorists were often motivated by an enthusiasm and love for the possibilities of film as a new medium.
What motivated the writing of contemporary film theorists?
-Contemporary film theorists were more motivated by a suspicion of dominant Hollywood cinema rather than a love for the medium itself.
How might the names given to early film companies and devices reveal a 'theoretical attitude' about the medium?
-The names often emphasized capturing movement or life (e.g. Vitagraph, Biograph, Cinematograph), suggesting an attitude about what was unique to the new medium of film.
What are some key ideas about film as a medium suggested in Maxim Gorky's encounter with the Lumiere cinematograph?
-Some key ideas suggested are: film creates an unfamiliar gray scaled world, the uncanniness of filmed images seeming real yet also clearly artificial, the uniqueness and complexity of describing a new moving image.
Outlines
😀 Introducing key themes and goals of the film theory course
The paragraph introduces the key themes and goals that will inform the film theory course, making a distinction between film theory, film criticism/analysis, and film history. It discusses how film theory involves general claims or reflections about the medium of film.
😃 Classical film theory concerned with legitimacy and art status
The paragraph contrasts classical film theory's concern with establishing cinema's status and legitimacy as an art form with contemporary film theory's interest in how cinema produces meaning and perpetuates ideology.
😊 Contemporary theory asking 'how' cinema shapes views
The paragraph further elaborates on the shift contemporary film theorists made to analyzing cinema as a system of social/symbolic meaning rather than being preoccupied with legitimizing the medium itself.
😯 Early names and reactions revealing assumptions about film
The paragraph suggests that classical film theory emerged through early naming of film companies/devices and reactions like Maxim Gorky's, which reveal assumptions about the novelty and art status of the medium.
🤔 Challenges capturing novelty of cinematography in words
The paragraph analyzes Maxim Gorky's reaction to an early Lumiere film, noting how he struggles to capture the novelty of cinematography in words but makes claims related to classical film theory questions in the process.
💡 Summary of key themes covered
The final paragraph summarizes some of the key distinguishing themes between classical and contemporary film theory discussed, like the prominence of questions related to cinema's identity and art status versus its social influence.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡film theory
💡classical film theory
💡contemporary film theory
💡the general
💡the what of cinema
💡the how of cinema
💡systemic
💡uncanniness
💡realism
💡novelty
Highlights
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Transcripts
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