UN CHIEN ANDALOU

Un Chien Andalou is a short silent surrealist film. It was directed by Luis Buñuel in 1929. Surrealism is defined as being "dream-like" and silent films are made to have no dialogues, so just imagine a short film without any character dialogues and is like a dream, wouldn't it be confusing? Un Chien Andalou is full of unreal and confusing scenes that does not seem to make any sense. Also, because it is a silent film, it was difficult to understand the situations that were going on, it was hard to follow the scenes or what the characters might be talking about. 

The Surrealist silent film titled Un Chien Andalou was presented to our class last Wednesday. Being a surrealist film it was full of dream sequences. Honestly, I did not understood the film. I do not know if those sequences, framing and shots have meanings behind them. The short film jumps time frames and it was confusing to follow on because there would be times that it would seem like reality and then it would cut to another shot that it would be dream-like or somewhat disturbing.

Maybe the film's purpose is only for existence. The director of the film might have used the film as a platform to express his thoughts, thinking and artistic sense. The film may also be directed to a specific audience and that it would be really hard for someone like me to understand the film. As a person who is saturated with Hollywood blockbuster films, this certain kind of surrealist film makes me lost in this kind of language in film.

You can watch the film here!

NOTES: THE STAR

The star system of cinema is the method of creating, promoting and exploiting movie stars in Classical Hollywood Cinema. They select young actors and glamorize them by creating an image or a new persona for them. They go as far as inventing new names, new personality and even a new life.

Stars or young actors that were selected are a total package. They did not only know how to act but they are talented in the industry. They choose people who can also sing and dance in order to show a new side for young actors who can use their talents to become known in cinema.

This system takes care of the actors images rather than focusing on the talent's acting skills. Even though they do not focus much on acting, they still take lessons and training for acting, singing and dancing. Women were expected to be always properly dressed and behave like ladies while the men were expected to be seen with a good attitude and show off being a gentleman.

Famous actors who went through the star system:

Joan Crawford

Cary Grant

Rock Hudson

NOTES/SUMMARY: FRENCH IMPRESSIONISM AND SURREALISM 1918-1930

Impressionism was an avant-garde style that was largely within the film industry. Most impressionist filmmakers started in French companies and were financially successful. Most formed their independent companies but remained in the mainstream industry by renting studio and releasing their films through established firms.

World War I struck a huge blow to the french film industry. American or Hollywood films began to flood in France and in order to bring back their film industry they tried imitating Hollywood films. but their biggest movement was encouraging younger french directors. these younger directors proclaim that cinema was an art comparable to poetry, painting and music. Cinema should be purely itself and should not borrow from the theater or literature.

Impressionist film techniques involves and manipulate plot time and subjectivity. flashbacks are also common, insistence on registering character's dreams, fantasies, and mental states. The filmmakers experimented with ways of rendering mental states by means of cinematography and editing. Irises, masks and superimposition function as traces of characters thoughts and feelings. These film present characters perceptual experience, their optical impressions so it uses a lot of point-of-view cutting. Other technique such as rhythmic editing is used to suggest the pace of an experience as a character feels it. Violence-rhythm accelerates and shots get shorter and shorter.

Surrealist cinema was a more radical movement, it produced films that perplexed and shocked the audience. this kind of film is directly involved in surrealist painting and literature. It is overtly anti-narrative and attack causality itself. We find things juxtaposed to give disturbing effects.


Source: French Impressionism and Surrealism ( 1 9 1 8- 1930) pp 450- 453 of the book Film Art by Bordwell and Thompson

NOTES: FILM NOIR

·         Film noir translates to “Black Film”.

·         During the 1940’s, after the war, going to the cinema was like going to a candy shop.

·         Film noir reflects stories about life on the streets and the darker side of human nature.

·         It is the representation of the anxiety caused by the people.

·         The noir idea is that we do not know what is going on but we know what is happening behind.

·         It also tales survival.

·         Film noir is full of difficult emotional things.

·         Most protagonists in film noir are morbid.

·         Emergence of psychological battle of men with a strong opposite gender.  A powerful woman is a dangerous character. Someone who is vicious is more attractive.

·         Women have changed their position in the society.

·         Framing has visual dominance – the woman in a low angle shot and the man in a high angle shot.

·         A love story that would never work out gets the audience attention.

·         Night or dark scenes were popular in film noir treatment. The use of venetian blinds were popular style of lightings, sets have simple and functional furniture.

·         Lighting treatment contributed to psychological treatment of film noir.

·         Film noir is reality as it is.

·         Sewages and labyrinths are modern representations of hell.

·         Film noir is linked to German expression.

THE FILM SCHOOL GENERATION

            Directors all have different perspectives and intentions when making films. They have their own flavor to making their statements and showing how they brand their films in their own way. Films are the medium through how the directors communicate with their audience, how they want to portray and add their preferences to the stories and the framings of the scenes. As Francois Truffaut said, there are two kinds of directors: those who have the public in mind when they conceive and make the films, and those who don’t consider the public at all.

            One renowned director is Steven Spielberg who is famous for his films like Jaws and Jurassic Park. He is a director who thinks of his audience, I think this is because Steven Spielberg emphasized being ambitious. To be ambitious in creating films and achieving goals help create a good work environment and also his works will not be successful if he did not think of his audience who wanted to see more of his films that used special effects.

            George Lucas is another famous director who created Star Wars. He is famous for directing films like the Electronic Labyrinth and American Graffiti. In my opinion he is a director who thinks of himself when creating films. He said that he really did not wanted to become a director at first but he got to find out what he liked to do after exploring the world of productions. He is that kind of director because he explores the world of film and he goes for the gold on whatever feels right. He did not expect the success of Star Wars and knowing that I think he is a director who is on an adventure to explore his talents and capacities in the film industry.

            John Milius directed the film Marcello, I’m so bored and Martin Scorsese is known for his film New York New York. They are both directors who think of themselves. Martin Scorsese thinks that films should make money and he can say what he wants to say. He does not think of the audience and sees films for his own benefits. While John Milius also uses his films to voice out his opinions.

            Another director who thinks of his audience is Brian de Palma. He directed the film Hi, Mom! He is the kind of director who thinks of his audience because he said that he is pleased with his audience’s reactions. He thinks of his audience as active participants in a film and reviews their reactions in order to make his films better.

            Films make millions of dollars and this is because of the directors and their styles in directing films. They may think of the audience or think of themselves but all of them explore films and take on an adventure to see trends and the demands of audiences. Directing the films show how they take on their artistic sides and offer a variety of great films.

TRAINSPOTTING

image from google

Trainspotting is a film about a group of friends who are inclined to drugs. They are drug addicts who live in the same apartment, go to clubs and have drug sessions because of different reasons. Mark Renton decided to quit heroin but suffers from withdrawal symptoms and went to a club when he realized his sexual desires became strong and went out with a girl. He realized that the girl he met was still a school girl, he tried to cut ties with the girl but he was only blackmailed. Mark and his friends started using heroin again and were met with many unfortunate incidents.

            One of their “flatmates”, Allyson, found her infant dead without anyone noticing. Mark and Spud were then captured by the police for stealing. Spud was put to jail when Mark was able to avoid it by entering a rehab. Mark Renton also almost died from overdose; he was then taken home by his family and forced him to undergo withdrawal. He experiences sever withdrawal symptoms and overcomes it.

            He moved to London to start a new life and found a job as a property agent. But later on Begbie and Sick boy showed up at his apartment expecting to move in. one of their friends, Tommy, died from an illness and they went back to attend his funeral. Sick boy then suggested a drug transaction that would bring in a lot of money. The transaction was made but Mark was hesitant to be associated with drugs again. They made the transaction and went to a pub to celebrate but Begbie beat a man who spilled bear all over him. While the others were sleeping, Mark Renton decided to run away and take the money with him, on his way out, he notices that Spud was actually awake and quietly went out. Spud never told the others about what happened. Mark Renton vowed to live a stable life with goals.

The film presented disturbing issue of the society in a funny way. It may be projected like this in order to take things in a lighter note but still emphasizing on the seriousness of the matter. The film presents a youth subculture, a subculture in poverty and crime. It presented poverty because the group of friends relied on stealing or using drugs in order to make money. They are always connected to making crimes and getting in trouble.
The film is also a portrayal of freedom of expression. The issue of the society in crimes and poverty were addressed in the film. They elaborated on the issue that time and made many people more aware of the things happening in their surroundings. It discussed a sensitive issue which is a difficult and problematic issue.

The film used music and framing to establish and emphasize the films effectiveness. The music treatment used pop music that is repetitive that makes it hypnotic and addicting as a mood setter. For example was when Mark Renton was going through his withdrawal symptoms, they used a certain background music and was on repeat the whole time. It felt addicting and disturbing while it was used during that scene. Framing treatments were also effective in establishing the scenes. In the scene of the withdrawal it used a lot of zooming in and out and close- ups to emphasize the event and to add disturbing focuses.

The end of the film still had a good resolution that reflects the attitudes of the characters. It shows how a person who wants to change can actually succeed and achieve the kind of change they want. It provides a good ending maybe to show a lighter note, that even a sensitive issue of the society can be resolved.

HOLLYWOOD STYLE

            The documentary that was shown to us talked about portions of Hollywood’s history and its developments. It focused on the film’s transition of how different frame angles and cuts developed over time. Film life is different from our real life that is why we come and see films. The height of Hollywood brought in millions of people a week; a large number of people were hooked to watching films. Even though there is a lot of audience, they only focus on the film’s story; the height of production is invisible to them.

            In cinema, business people and artists are a combination. This combination goes together because it is in cinema were artists are able to show their craft or their passion for the art of acting and it is here were business people make use of this artists to gain profit and also to make productions where audiences would like to see. Hollywood became studio style in one point, it is when everyone worked in a studio and everything was done together in a studio. It was a good point to use studios because they were able to explore technology, make everything possible and they were also able to save money. This studio style evolved and adapted different styles in order to improve.

            Classical Hollywood style is known for its continuity editing, making cuts and transition seem “invisible” or smooth. This style made editing seamless and there were a lot of improvement in cuts and frames. This was a great transition in Hollywood’s history because the audience seemed to love the films more and it gave depth to the film. Simple and emotional scenes were strongly presented. This style gave more art, story and emotions to every shot presented.