The Whole Equation of Pictures

In this article, Thomas Schatz examines Old Hollywood’ focus on the director with New Hollywood’s focus on the auteur. He points out that auteurs opposed the studio system and it’s greedy, corporate, creativity suppressing “studio-factories.” At this point in history, it seems, the filmmaker was tragically underappreciated, and was viewed more as an employee than a creative mind. It makes a lot of sense that the best films of early Hollywood had a mixture of individual leadership and institutional resources. The style and direction of a particular director was bolstered by the efficient and powerful studio companies. The individuals brought the creativity and vision, while the studios brought the funding, means of production, and distribution channels. Schatz defends the position that filmmaking is best studied as a group effort, rather than an individual one. The “genius of the system” beats the “cult of personality.” At this time in film history, it was the structure of the studio system that held together all the social, industrial, technological, economic, and aesthetic forces in balance. During the classical Hollywood era, filmmaking was still a competitive and creative enterprise, yet still relied on negotiation more than collaboration.

The End of Cinema

This reading discusses the varying technologies that surround films and their effects on the differences between film and television. These technologies include VCRs, remote controls, and the rise of cable television. Friedberg argues that these technologies were a key element in preparing consumers to accept computer screens and the Internet. The creation of the VCR has completely shifted how and when we watch films. Together, the remote control and the VCR have created this notion of ‘shifting’ or ‘deferring’ time. No longer are viewers a slave to the movie theater, they are now able to rent or buy a film and watch it at a more convenient time or over and over again. The remote control has allowed viewers to manipulate the story in any way they want. They can fast forward through a scene they do not like or rewind to watch something again. The remote control has also had a major impact on the television industry and the ways shows are created. Viewers now have the power to jump channels instantaneously so television programming must catch viewers’ attention immediately.  Friedberg says they do this by “relying less on plot and characterization and more on fast rhythmic editing” (921). Although both the VCR and the remote control have, in many ways, made life easier for the viewer, they have completely changed the kind of spectators we are.

The End of Cinema Class Blog

The End of Cinema Class Blog

The End of Cinema centers on the idea that technology has evolved to the point where the concept and usage of film is becoming obsolete.  Friedberg touches on how emerging digital technology has affected the act of filmmaking for both the better and worse.  I was excited to read about this topic because it is one that I can personality relate with.  Unlike reading about Film Noir, German Expressionism, and other 20^th century film movements, the digital age is one that I have personally experienced in real time.  In many ways I am conflicted about the turn to digital and I was pleased to see that so is Friedberg.  Digital cinema has allowed filmmakers to do so much more in such a shorter period of time.  While this is a good think, I believe that digital film has lead to disappointing film trends such as excessive CGI and 3D films.  I love that some filmmakers have resisted the turn to digital, such as Tarantino, and still hold dear the romantic nature of classical film development.    

The End of Cinema

Friedberg’s, The End of Cinema, touched on some concepts related to film and the cinema that I had never thought about before. The VCR, Cable Television, and the television remote were just some of the technologies that revolutionized the way people interacted with films. For all of these items people had concerns that film would be a thing of the past and wouldn’t stay a popular medium. I think Film has come out stronger as a medium because of these technologies. Friedberg says that VCR in particular makes access to film easier. Film has learned to work within the confines of these new technologies and thrive. Film Studies has also changed with the introduction of these new technologies. The new Film Studies tries to account for this change in technology. It looks at film also in a new historical context. I think the Internet is another technology that has changed the way we interact with cinema. Film is now available everywhere on the Internet. Film studies needs to take into account the new interaction of film and Internet sites. This interaction has changed the way people forever will watch films and interact with them.

Psychoanalytical approach and Citizen Kane

I found Mulvey’s ,Citizen Kane, to be particularly interesting. One of the most interesting aspects was her psychoanalytical approach to understanding Kane and his character. Mulvey suggests that Kane has an Oedipal complex that affects him and his later life. Forced to cut ties with his mother for the sake of capitalism Kane develops a warped way of looking at the World. Capitalism becomes his whole world and he develops a life devoid of motherly love. He rejects the father figures in his life and feels out of control. This behavior makes Kane need to be in control of everything. This is why in his other relationships with Women he needs to be in control as well. Everything stems from his childhood separation from his mother. I think this is a way of reading the film I had never thought about before. I don’t think this approach explains all of Kane’s behaviors, but it is a good insight into some of is motivations.

The End of Cinema

I find it crazy that people like McLuhan were already Friedberg were already talking about the "end of cinema" before the last five years! It seems like there is always something looming ahead threatening to end cinema as we know it. Especially for television, we have seen such a change, some may even call it an end, due to the rise of streaming, and this article was written well before any of that was an issue. I liked the part about changing the definition of film studies, since over time the way we view films change. I still think the filmmakers would like us to have our full attention on film, but this has definitely been an element of change in the past few decades, since we are more open to multitasking and taking things on the go as people. It's also interesting because in the age of classic Hollywood cinema, so much stayed constant for such a long time. There was a consensus when it came to "size, shape, color, and scope of the screen" (924). Now, obviously, all of this has changed, and we can take a bigger look at film.