15.2 Applying Theoretical Frameworks to Film Analysis
3 min read•august 6, 2024
Applying theoretical frameworks to film analysis helps us understand movies on a deeper level. We'll explore different approaches like , , and to unpack films' meanings and techniques.
We'll also dive into sociocultural perspectives like feminist and postcolonial theories, as well as psychological approaches. These frameworks give us tools to critically examine how films reflect and shape our world.
Film Theory Frameworks
Auteur Theory and Formalism
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Auteur theory emphasizes the director's creative vision and control over the filmmaking process, positioning the director as the primary author of a film
Asserts that a director's distinctive style, themes, and techniques can be traced across their body of work, creating a recognizable signature or stamp on their films (, Wes Anderson)
Formalism focuses on the formal elements of a film, such as , editing, sound, and , and how these elements contribute to the overall meaning and aesthetic of the film
Formalist analysis examines how the arrangement and composition of these formal elements create a unique cinematic language and convey the film's themes and emotions (Sergei Eisenstein's montage theory)
Genre Theory and Structuralism
Genre theory examines how films can be categorized into distinct genres based on shared conventions, narratives, iconography, and themes
Genres evolve over time, reflecting changes in societal values, audience expectations, and filmmaking techniques (Western, horror, romantic comedy)
analyzes the underlying structures and patterns within a film's narrative, characters, and themes, often drawing from linguistic and anthropological concepts
Structuralist approaches seek to identify the deep structures that govern the organization and meaning of a film, such as , , and mythic archetypes (Vladimir Propp's narrative functions, Claude Lévi-Strauss's binary oppositions)
Sociocultural Approaches
Feminist and Queer Film Theory
examines the representation of women in cinema, as well as the role of gender in the production, distribution, and reception of films
Analyzes how films perpetuate or challenge patriarchal ideologies, gender stereotypes, and power dynamics ('s "" theory)
Queer theory explores the representation of LGBTQ+ identities, desires, and experiences in film, challenging heteronormative assumptions and binaries
Examines how films subvert or reinforce dominant notions of sexuality, gender, and identity, and how they provide spaces for queer expression and resistance ( movement)
Postcolonial and Marxist Film Theory
investigates the impact of colonialism, imperialism, and cultural hegemony on the production and reception of films from formerly colonized nations
Analyzes how films from postcolonial contexts negotiate issues of identity, power, and resistance, and how they challenge Western cinematic conventions and narratives ( movement)
examines the relationship between cinema and the capitalist economic system, focusing on how films reflect, reinforce, or critique dominant ideologies and class relations
Explores how the means of film production, distribution, and exhibition are shaped by economic forces, and how films can serve as tools for social and political critique (Bertolt Brecht's , Dziga Vertov's )
Psychological and Audience Perspectives
Psychoanalytic Theory and Reception Theory
applies the concepts of and other psychoanalysts to the analysis of films, examining how films engage with the unconscious desires, fears, and fantasies of both characters and audiences
Explores how films use symbolic imagery, narrative structures, and character dynamics to evoke and explore psychological themes and conflicts (Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, 's Mulholland Drive)
focuses on the ways in which audiences interpret, experience, and respond to films, emphasizing the active role of the viewer in the creation of meaning
Examines how factors such as social context, cultural background, and individual experiences shape the way audiences engage with and derive meaning from films ('s Encoding/Decoding model, 's historical reception studies)