CA 137 FINAL

explain the paramount descision

Paramount Pictures relinquishing their ownership of theatres in 1948

Auteur Cinema

A film that is so uniquely and personally created by the director/author of the film that it has its own distinctive approach

who was the father of Godzilla?

Ishiro Honda

the Hollywood Ten

People in the film industry who were jailed for refusing to answer congressional questions regarding Communist influence in Hollywood

explain the significance of Freud's "return of the repressed" theory in Godzilla 1954

Gojira represents the lost souls of soldiers who died during the war, coming back to haunt those living

what was Italy's response to Hollywood?

created Cincecitta studios, and the Italian film school, and the first film festival ever in Venice under fascist rule

what was the "Big five" and who were they?

major studios of the golden age, MGM, RKO, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures

Bicycle Thieves, director, country of origin and year

Vittori De Sica, Italy, 1948

Godzilla, director, country of origin, year

Ishiro Honda, Japan, 1954

Gilda, director, country of origin, year

Charles Vidor, America, 1946

Breathless, Director, country of origin, year

Jean-Luc Godard, France, 1960

what was the first big Noir film?

Double Indemnity, 1944

name 3 directors of the Noir era

Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang, Robert Siodmak

describe the three roles for women present in Noir films

the Nurturer, the Good-bad girl, the Femme Fatale

what is a "Good Neighbour" film?

American movies that were set in Latin American countries, depicted them as simply extensions of the U.S.

what seprates auteurs from other directors

auteurs eventually develop a pattern in their work after a given number of films

auteur theory emphasizes ______ over _____

body of a directors work __ isolated masterpieces

explain taziyeh

Iranian passion plays that were highlighted through Iranian New Wave

while filmfarsi showcased Irans social ideology, Iranian New Wave responded with

socio-political activist cinema that critiques the societal ideology

The house is black: who, when where

Forough Farrokhzad, 1962, Iran

who was Forough Farrokhzad?

First female poet to express her desires and sexuality in Persian Poetry, very important Iranian filmmaker

why was "the cow" banned in Iran?

The film ruptured Iran's modernizing image promoted by the king and it hindered the king's efforts to push Iran toward the Western world

how was the Cow unbanned

The release of the film was conditional, requiring an explanation that the events depicted occurred 40 years prior.

explain how Hassan's behaviour in "the Cow" is fetishism

obsessively in love with the cow as it stands for wealth, and he uses it to cope with his reality of life in poverty, disavowing his truth.

discuss dehumanization and foreshadowing in the film "the Cow"

• lynches a man for fun at the start - figuratively dehumanizing him

• later, Hassan is dehumanized literally and is treated like an animal.

Luchino Visconti films

• Obsession (1943)

• The Earth Trembles (1948)

Vittorio De Sica films

• Shoeshine (1946)

• Bicycle Thieves (1948)

• Umberto D (1952)

what dedramatize cinema?

the drama of everyday events

Roberto Rossellini films

• Rome, Open City (1945)

• Paisan (1946)

• Germany Year Zero (1948)

Hemispheric Solidarity

Efforts to promote unity among Western Hemisphere countries during WWII.

Reasons for Hollywood films set in Latin America during WWII

• Washington's push for hemispheric solidarity.

• Economic impact of WWII on film markets.

• Growing interest in Latin American culture.

Trust and Cartels

Antitrust actions against "THE BIG FIVE" and the "LITTLE THREE" in late 1930s led by Thurman Arnold.

big 5

Loew’s, Paramount, RKO, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros.

little 3

Columbia, United Artists, Universal.

Post-Colonialism

Study of the cultural and political impact of colonialism and imperialism

Post-Colonialism Notable Films

“Sambizanga," "The Battle of Algiers," "Rabbit-Proof Fence"

Sambizanga plot

Follows Maria's search for her husband Domingos, who was arrested by Portuguese colonial authorities for his involvement in anti-colonial resistance.

Sambizanga: who , when, where

Sarah Maldoror, 1973, France

Third Cinema

• A film movement focused on decolonization, social justice, and cultural identity in developing countries.

• Notable Films: "The Hour of the Furnaces," "Memories of Underdevelopment," "Black Girl"

• Influential Filmmakers: Octavio Getino, Fernando Solanas, Ousmane Sembène

Iranian New Wave

• Movement in Iranian cinema known for its realistic portrayal of social issues and experimentation with narrative techniques.

• Characteristics: Minimalist storytelling, focus on ordinary people, criticism of societal norms.

French New Wave

• French film movement in the late 1950s and 1960s, known for rejecting of traditional storytelling.

• Characteristics: Use of jump cuts, handheld cameras, and existential themes.

Japanese Cinema

• Film industry in Japan, is known for its diverse genres and influential directors.

• Key Concepts: Post-WWII Revival, Symbolism and Metaphor, Cinematic Influence

• Characteristics: Exploration of cultural traditions, emphasis on honour and duty, influence of samurai ethos.

Film Noir

• Genre of stylish crime dramas, often with a cynical tone and dark visual style.

• Key Themes: Femme Fatale, Trust and Cartels, Gender Tensions

• Characteristics: Use of chiaroscuro lighting, morally ambiguous protagonists, voice-over narration.

Italian Neorealism

• Film movement in Italy after WWII, focused on portraying everyday life and social issues.

• Key Figures: Vittorio de Sica, Roberto Rossellini, Cesare Zavattini

• Characteristics: Use of non-professional actors, on-location shooting, gritty realism.

Hemispheric Solidarity

• Unity and cooperation among countries within a hemisphere, often in response to shared challenges or goals.

• Context: Relevant during World War II, when Hollywood films depicted solidarity among nations in the Western Hemisphere to combat Axis powers.

• Example: Hollywood films set in Latin America during WWII aimed to promote hemispheric solidarity and counter Axis propaganda.

Gilda

• (1946) Directed by Charles Vidor

• Plot: Involves a love triangle between Johnny Farrell, Ballin Mundson, and Gilda, set against the backdrop of a sinister international cartel attempting to monopolize tungsten.

• Themes: Gender Tensions, Trust and Cartels, Post-war Era Realities

Auteur Theory Premises explained

1. Technique: Outer circle, role of the director as a technician.

2. Personal Style: Middle circle, role of the director as a stylist.

3. Interior Meaning: Inner circle, role of the director as an auteur.

Hegemony

Dominance or leadership of one social group over others, is often achieved through persuasion, consent, and cultural influence rather than force.

Non-narrative Films definition

Documentaries without traditional storytelling elements, focusing on themes, visuals, and other organizational structures.

Non-narrative Films Example

"The Qatsi Trilogy" (1982-2002)

Non-narrative Films Aesthetic

Emphasizes visual storytelling over dialogue, using techniques like time-lapse photography and slow motion to contrast nature with industrialized capitalism.

Accelerationism

A theoretical concept advocating for the acceleration of capitalism to provoke radical social change or its collapse

Philip Glass

did the soundtrack for Koyaanisqatsi

Koyaanisqatsi year and director

1982 — Godfrey Reggio

Koyaanisqatsi translation

Life out of Balance

Queer or LGBTQ+ Cinema definition

centers on queer characters, themes, and experiences from the community

Vito Russo’s book

The Celluloid Closet (1981)

Visual Aesthetics and Themes of Queer Cinema

• Identity: Exploration of sexual orientation and gender identity.

• Love and Desire: Portrayal of LGBT relationships, friendships, and families.

• Socio-Political: Examination of societal discrimination and homophobia.

• Epistemology of the Closet: Depiction of coming out complexities.

Queer Film Theory

• Supplements Feminism: Challenges binary and normative gender ideas.

• Interpretive Value: Emphasizes subtext and mise-en-scène for alternative readings.

Michel Foucault

Foundational for queer theory, hates sexology, sexuality is not just inherent but produced

Judith Butler

gender performativity, gender is not an inherent trait but is constructed through repeated actions, changelled the binary logic and the normative ideas of gender

The handmaiden: who, what, where

Korea, Park Chan-wook, 2016

Happy Together: who, what, where

Hong Kong, 1997, Wong Kar-Wai

Tangerine: who, what, where

USA, 2015, Sean Baker

Daughters of the sun: who, what, where

Iran, 2001, Mariam Shahriar

"Portrait of a Lady on Fire" (2019)

• Setting: 18th-century France, forbidden romance between women.

• dir. Céline Sciamma

• Directorial Approach: Frames women as full subjects, not objects.

The Witch as Feminist Icon

• References: Chanting and gathering around fire invoke concepts of female empowerment.

• Suppressed History: Women's roles as healers were suppressed, paralleled with witchcraft.

• Cinematic Example: "The Witch" (2013) explores Satan as liberator of women.

"Portrait of a Lady on Fire" (2019) Themes

Explores wlw love, desire, and challenges the male gaze.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire Characters

Marianne (the artist), Héloïse (resisting traditional roles)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire Critical Engagement

Challenges conventional desire representations

Portrait of a Lady on Fire Symbolism

Hand as metaphor for touch and desire

What does non-Western cinema often utilize to enhance documentary reality?

utilizes location shooting, enhancing documentary reality.

What does non-Western cinema often utilize to enhance documentary reality?

Western cinema often uses studio locations to enhance fictional reality.

hegemonic masculinity

a set of practices, traits, qualities, and behaviors that rendered male gender into a “real man”

subordinate masculinity

antithesis of hegemonic masculinity, men that embody are in many ways subjugated — being gay

complicit masculinity

a form of masculinity still profits from the way women are subjugated and subordinates certain groups of men

marginal masculinity

people of color, working-class men exemplify this

what type of masculity does Pamfir embody

marginalized masculinity — he’s abused by the power above him

What does the diversity of Indigenous filmmaking practices reflect?

reflect a variety of approaches, echoing the diversity found within Indigenous communities.

Breathless: who, what, where

• Jean-Luc Godard, 1960, France

• natural lighting, wheelchair dollies

• gestures towards noir hero and the world of film noir

Iranian New Wave

• developed in the 1960s

• a reaction to the earlier filmfarsi films

Iranian New Wave features

non-professional actors, rural settings, realist technique

Sambizanga themes

Colonial Oppression and Resistance, Gender Dynamics, National Identity and Unity

Sambizanga Significance

Portrays the brutal realities of Portuguese colonial rule in Angola, Celebrates the spirit of national unity and solidarity, and Highlights the role of women in the struggle for independence.

Cultural sovereignty

relevant to Indigenous Cinema, promotes the idea that Indigenous people have the inherent right to tell/protect their own stories without external interference.

Fourth Cinema

Coined by Māori filmmaker, critic and philosopher Barry Barclay (Ngāti Apa) to describe Indigenous cinemas as a distinct form of artistic expression

Difference between masculinity and machismo

The categories of masculinity are less about image and more about power and what reifies certain qualities of masculinity as defined by patriarchy.

Subordinate Masculinity example in Pamfir

Leonid’s son

Marginal Masculinity example in Pamfir

Leonid, Viktor

Example of Complicit Masculinity in pamfir

The cops working for Orestes, the priest

Hegemonic Masculinity example in Pamfir

Orestes

Broader implications for the forms of masculinity embodied in relation to times of war

• Ukraine has suffered under

  • masculinized military violence (the “strong man” of Stalin

  • economic precarity but also a regressive patriarchal culture rife with violence and strict power structures in society and village + family

• Absence of fathers due to so much warfare; the 2014 coup took the lives of men