Auteur Theory: French word for Author

DEFINITION

An auteur is someone who has a specific signature, which they apply to each of their pieces of work.

FRANCOIS TRUFFAUT (French)

Within the industrial process, voice of auteur is distinct and shines through the studios interference, as well as collective process.

ANDREW SARRIS (American)

A film director who's influenced their film so much that they rank as the films author

Originally apart of 'Cahiers due Cinema'

Helped to widen the influence of the theory

Wrote 1954 essay "Une Certaine Tendence due Cinema Francais" = "A certain tendency in french cinema'

Distinctive style or promotes consistent theme

Results with their influence being unmistakable in their body of work

He tried to define the theory

Wrote "The Village Voice"

Late 60's published "The American Cinema: Directors and Directions"

It became the unofficial bible of Auteur Theory

THEORY

The director brings the film to life and uses the film to express their thoughts and feelings of the subject, as well as a world view as an Auteur

Sarris presented this theory with Roger Leenhardt

CONTEXT

America developed auteur theory, although France is where it originated from in 1954

Originally associated with film critics that wrote for french film review periodical 'Cahiers due Cinema', as well as 'French new wave'

Truffaut was apart of this group of individuals

Originally associated with Francois Truffaut

Influences film criticism since 1954 #

PAULINE KAEL

Condemned Andrew Sarris and the Auteur Theory

She stated that 'for a film to be enjoyed, it does not have to adhere to a narrow theory'

Believes we judge artists by the movies not the movies by the artist

It proposed that the director is the true author of the given film

Advocated it

He was a director and film critic

Argued that film should reflect directors personal vision

Published five years before his first feature film

An Auteur is a director who establishes a particular style and uses it in most or all of their films; the directors creative voice is particularly distinctive.

Translated to 'Championed Filmmakers'

Absolute Auteurs

Satyajit Ray

Howard Hawks

Alfred Hitchcock

Jean Renoir

Alexandre Astruc's

Notion of Camera-stylo or " Camer-pen'

Encourages directors to wield camera as writers use pens

Hallemark

Problems With Auteur Theory

Always fluctuating/changing

Can only do it if you have your own production company

Collaborative nature - Suggests director cannot have complete control

Definition fluctuates - it is Ambiguous

Defining quality - due to audiences relationship with the Auteur

Original definitions could be outdated

Hallmark

They have power over every aspect of the film process

Wrote "Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962"

Defines Auteur Theory as 'the director is the author of a film, the person who gives it any distinctive quality"