11.5 Auteur theory

Auteur theory emerged in the 1950s, championing directors as the true authors of films. French critics at Cahiers du Cinéma argued that certain filmmakers had unique artistic visions traceable across their work, challenging the notion of films as mere commercial products.

The theory emphasizes directors as primary creative forces, suggesting the best films reflect their unique style and worldview. It looks for recognizable stylistic and thematic consistencies across a director's filmography, aiming to identify their artistic "signature" and deeper meanings in their work.

Origins of auteur theory

• Auteur theory emerged in the 1950s and 1960s as a way to analyze and appreciate films based on the distinctive style and themes of their directors
• This approach to film criticism developed in response to the prevailing notion that films were primarily commercial products rather than artistic works

Cahiers du Cinéma critics

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• Auteur theory was pioneered by a group of French film critics writing for the influential magazine Cahiers du Cinéma
• These critics, including François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, championed the idea that certain directors had a unique artistic vision that could be traced across their body of work
• They argued that the director, rather than the screenwriter or producer, was the true author of a film

Truffaut's "A Certain Tendency in French Cinema"

• In 1954, Truffaut published a landmark essay titled "A Certain Tendency in French Cinema" in Cahiers du Cinéma
• This essay criticized the dominant French cinema of the time, which Truffaut saw as overly literary and lacking in personal style
• Truffaut argued that the best films were those in which the director's personality and vision shone through, even within the constraints of the studio system

Sarris and "Notes on the Auteur Theory"

• American critic Andrew Sarris introduced auteur theory to the English-speaking world in his 1962 essay "Notes on the Auteur Theory"
• Sarris expanded on the ideas of the Cahiers critics, proposing three criteria for identifying an auteur: technical competence, distinguishable personality, and interior meaning
• He also compiled a list of "pantheon" directors, such as Alfred Hitchcock and Howard Hawks, who he believed exemplified the qualities of an auteur

Key concepts of auteur theory

• Auteur theory emphasizes the role of the director as the primary creative force behind a film
• It suggests that the best films are those that reflect the unique style, themes, and worldview of their directors

Director as author

• Auteur theory posits that the director is the true "author" of a film, in the same way that a writer is the author of a novel
• This idea challenges the notion that films are primarily the product of the studio system or the work of a team of collaborators
• Auteur critics argue that the director's creative vision shapes every aspect of a film, from the visual style to the themes and motifs

Recognizable style across films

• One key aspect of auteur theory is the idea that a director's distinctive style can be identified across their body of work
• This might include recurring visual motifs (Hitchcock's use of vertigo-inducing camera angles), narrative devices (Tarantino's nonlinear storytelling), or stylistic flourishes (Wes Anderson's symmetrical compositions)
• By examining a director's films as a whole, auteur critics aim to identify the unique "signature" that defines their work

Thematic consistencies in director's work

• In addition to a recognizable style, auteur theory suggests that a director's films will often explore consistent themes and ideas
• These might include broad philosophical questions (Ingmar Bergman's explorations of faith and existentialism) or more personal obsessions (Martin Scorsese's recurring interest in masculinity and Catholic guilt)
• Identifying these thematic threads can help illuminate the deeper meanings and preoccupations that shape a director's work

Interior meaning vs surface meaning

• Sarris's concept of "interior meaning" suggests that an auteur's films contain a deeper significance beneath their surface-level plots and characters
• This interior meaning is often conveyed through visual style, symbolism, and other subtextual elements
• By contrast, the "surface meaning" of a film refers to its explicit narrative content and themes
• Auteur critics often prioritize the interior meaning of a film, seeing it as a reflection of the director's true artistic intent

Criticisms of auteur theory

• While auteur theory has been hugely influential in film criticism and scholarship, it has also been subject to various criticisms and challenges

Minimizing role of other collaborators

• One common criticism of auteur theory is that it tends to downplay the contributions of other key creative personnel, such as screenwriters, cinematographers, and actors
• Critics argue that filmmaking is inherently a collaborative medium, and that the director is not solely responsible for a film's artistic success
• Some suggest that auteur theory can lead to a "great man" view of film history that ignores the complex network of collaborators and influences behind any given film

Romanticizing director as sole creator

• Related to the previous point, some critics argue that auteur theory romanticizes the figure of the director as a lone artistic genius
• This view can overlook the realities of the filmmaking process, which often involves compromises, studio interference, and other constraints on a director's creative vision
• It may also lead to an overly simplistic understanding of how films are made, ignoring the role of chance, accident, and other uncontrollable factors

Difficulty applying to some directors

• Another criticism of auteur theory is that it can be difficult to apply to certain filmmakers or types of films
• For example, directors who work primarily in genre films or studio-driven projects may have less opportunity to express a distinctive personal style
• Similarly, some critics argue that auteur theory is less relevant to contemporary Hollywood cinema, where the influence of individual directors is often superseded by franchise demands and commercial imperatives

Inconsistency in director's body of work

• Auteur theory assumes that a director's work will display a consistent set of themes and stylistic traits, but this is not always the case
• Many directors' filmographies are marked by significant variations in style and quality, making it difficult to identify a coherent authorial voice
• Critics argue that auteur theory can lead to a selective reading of a director's work, ignoring films that don't fit the perceived pattern of their oeuvre

Auteur theory in television studies

• While auteur theory originated in film criticism, it has also been applied to the study of television, particularly in the era of prestige TV and streaming services

Showrunners as TV auteurs

• In the context of television, the concept of the auteur is often associated with the showrunner, the individual responsible for overseeing all aspects of a series
• Showrunners like David Chase (The Sopranos), Matthew Weiner (Mad Men), and Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) are often seen as the driving creative forces behind their shows
• They are involved in writing, directing, and producing, and their distinctive styles and themes can be traced across multiple episodes and seasons

Differences between film and TV authorship

• However, there are important differences between film and television authorship that complicate the application of auteur theory to TV
• Television production is typically more collaborative than film, with writers' rooms, multiple directors, and evolving casts of characters
• The long-form, serialized nature of TV storytelling also means that shows can change and evolve over time, making it harder to identify a singular authorial vision

Collaborative nature of television production

• The collaborative nature of television production means that the showrunner is not the sole creative force behind a series
• Other writers, directors, and producers also make significant contributions to the style and content of a show
• This has led some critics to argue that the concept of the auteur is less applicable to television than to film

Examples of TV auteurs

• Despite these challenges, there are many examples of television creators who are widely regarded as auteurs
• These include David Lynch (Twin Peaks), Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and Lena Dunham (Girls)
• In each case, the creator's distinctive voice and vision can be seen across multiple aspects of their shows, from the writing and directing to the visual style and thematic concerns

Impact of auteur theory on film criticism

• Auteur theory has had a profound and lasting impact on the way films are analyzed, discussed, and valued by critics and scholars

Elevation of certain directors

• One of the most significant effects of auteur theory has been the elevation of certain directors to the status of artistic geniuses
• Directors like Hitchcock, Welles, and Kubrick are now widely regarded as among the greatest filmmakers of all time, thanks in part to the efforts of auteur critics
• This has helped to establish film as a serious art form worthy of critical attention and scholarly study

Canonization of great directors

• Auteur theory has also contributed to the creation of a canon of great directors, whose work is seen as essential to the history and development of film
• This canon includes both Hollywood filmmakers (Ford, Hawks, Hitchcock) and international auteurs (Bergman, Fellini, Kurosawa)
• The canonization of these directors has shaped the way film is taught, studied, and appreciated around the world

Influence on film studies and academia

• Auteur theory has been hugely influential in the development of film studies as an academic discipline
• Many of the key concepts and methods of film analysis, such as close reading and thematic interpretation, have their roots in auteur criticism
• Auteur theory has also inspired a range of other critical approaches, from genre studies to feminist film theory

Auteurism in popular film discourse

• The influence of auteur theory can also be seen in popular film discourse, from film reviews to awards ceremonies
• The idea of the director as the primary creative force behind a film is now widely accepted by mainstream audiences
• This has led to a greater emphasis on directors in film marketing and promotion, as well as a growing interest in behind-the-scenes documentaries and director's commentaries

Alternatives to auteur theory

• While auteur theory remains a dominant paradigm in film studies, there are also many alternative approaches that challenge or complement its assumptions

Focus on other key creatives

• One alternative to auteur theory is to focus on the contributions of other key creative personnel, such as screenwriters, cinematographers, and actors
• This approach recognizes that filmmaking is a collaborative art form, and that the director is not solely responsible for a film's artistic success
• By studying the work of influential screenwriters, for example, critics can gain a deeper understanding of the role of writing in shaping a film's themes and structure

Analyzing film as collaborative medium

• Another approach is to analyze film as a fundamentally collaborative medium, shaped by a complex network of creative, technical, and economic factors
• This might involve studying the role of production design, editing, or sound in creating a film's overall effect
• It could also mean examining the influence of studio executives, producers, and other behind-the-scenes figures on the filmmaking process

Poststructuralist critiques of authorship

• Poststructuralist theory has challenged the very concept of authorship, arguing that the meaning of a text is not determined by the intentions of its creator
• Instead, meaning is seen as a product of the interaction between the text, the reader, and the broader cultural context
• Applied to film, this approach would question the idea of the director as a singular, controlling authorial presence, and instead emphasize the multiple, often contradictory meanings that can be found in any given film

Considering industrial and economic factors

• Finally, some critics have argued for a greater emphasis on the industrial and economic factors that shape film production and reception
• This might involve studying the role of film studios, distribution networks, and marketing campaigns in determining which films get made and how they are received by audiences
• It could also mean examining the impact of technological changes, such as the rise of digital filmmaking and streaming services, on the nature of film authorship and creativity