Neoformalism in Film Analysis

Throughout pages 3-35, in “Neoformalist Film Analysis: One Approach, Many Methods,” Thompson explains in a clear and moral way what Neoformalist film analysis is. The difference between the ordinary, everyday world and the world of art is what she describes to be fundamental to Neoformalism. One can infer that the everyday world depends upon the cultivation of habit, using routine to foster the efficiency of communication. In contrast, the world of art relies upon the disruption of routine by deliberately deviating from what is normal. The key word in Neoformalist art theory is “alienation.” This term expresses the unusual perception that art demands. Yet even this unusual perception can become routine through frequent repetition. I find this Neoformal approach very interesting and unique in the way that it is used to analyze films.