Critical Debate (S8)

• Andre Bazin (french film critic) set in motion a major debate when he argued that german expressionism and soviet montage filmmaking went against what he saw as the realist calling of cinema.
• Andre Bazin criticism began in 1943. He argued that realism is the most important function of cinema and for objective reality, deep focus, no montages, the spectator is to interpret the scene.

  His criticism placed an opposition to expressionism and soviet montage
• Realism?

  The realist do not disturb time of space

  Bazin championed the realist for: long takes, deep focus / depth of field, non professional actors and limited editing.
• Expressionism?

  Part of the formalist debate where film is explored through the means of manipulating and distorting reality.
• The expressionist imagists fall into two catagories, what are they?

  The plastics - lighting, decore, composition, and acting e.g. german expressionism

  The montagists - editing e.g. soviet montage futurist inspired by urbanisation
• Realism


  REPRESENTATION = as unmediated as possible

  VISUAL AESTHETIC = naturalist / documentary-style

  PRINCIPLE = respect / truth

  INTENT = spectator reflect
• Expressionism

  REPRESENTATION = highly mediated

  VISUAL AESTHETIC = dreamlike

  PRINCIPLE = manipulation

  INTENT = subjective emotions and responses, spectator agitation.
• Strictly speaking, Keatons work is realist. However, this reality is a seamingly endless series of comedy gags, sometimes including unimaginably dangerous stunts.