Formalism and Film A Look Behind Formalism What is Film Formalism? According to this method, representation is based on formal structure and not content. To further demonstrate my argument that Robin Wood’s formalist approach to film analysis is the most viable of the previously discussed approaches, I will apply his methodology to the classic 1960 thriller, Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho). Formalist film theory is an approach to film theory that is focused on the formal, or technical, elements of a film: i.e., the lighting, scoring, sound and set design, use of color, shot composition, and editing. Formalist Film Theory and Psycho-Analysis. These films… This is part of the lecture I give students on the first day of class for HUM1900 Introduction to Film. Through the process of the Formalist approach to film analysis as Robin Wood sees it, we are given a strong, efficient formula for film study, and in turn, film appreciation. Perkins article and detailed scene analysis from film Although I find both Perkins’ and Mulvey’s approaches to film worthwhile and significant, Wood’s method of studying film as it pertains to the spectator appeals to me most, for it focuses on the spectator’s perception. All we need is the text itself. DIFFERENT VIEWS UNDERFORMALISM NEO-REALISM ANTI-REALISM REALISM AVANT GARDE 5. Alfred Hitchcock. To get into the concept of formalist film theory, one has to talk about the film in terms of the formal or technical elements within the film. Formalist theory examines issues related to the nature of the film itself and how its aesthetics promote meaning. Psycho. NEO-REALISM: Andre Bazin. Neo and Russian formalists believed the work of art as a set of devices, they then use these devices to craft a film. In the movie The Matrix, color, shots, and angles are used to illustrate the idea of formalism. Recognition, Alignment, Allegiance in Taxi Driver, Use the camera to emphasise the subject’s mood e.g. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. I believe this is why so many people hold the cinema in such high regard, retaining strong opinions. The eyes are a common theme throughout Psycho, highlighted in such scenes as when psycho Norman Bates peeps through a hole in the wall to watch Marion undress, as well as in the conclusion to the famous shower scene in which the camera spirals, zooming out from Marion’s dead eye. Plato (c. 430--347 B … Following the understanding of audience perception, the question of film greatness comes into play. It is the study of a text without taking into account any outside influence. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. In my experiences with film study and review, I have always exercised the formalist approach as opposed to the ideological, because I believe film is all about the spectator’s perception. A strictly formalist critic would, for example, approach The Great Gatsby as a structure of words, ignoring the details of Fitzgerald’s life and the social and historical contexts of the novel. In the world of film study, there are multiple theories that can be applied for the purpose of film analysis. Throughout the movie, color is used to add depth and help establish the mood in the scene. 4. When the officer comes to the window to speak with Marion, who is quite nervous as she has just stolen $40,000, it is noticeable that the neither the spectator, nor Marion, can see into the police officer’s eyes. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The idea originates in ancient Greek metaphysics. I personally believe the viewer determines the true value of the film, and this area of focus results in a greater gratification in recognizing what makes film great. Thomson Jones describes formalist film as an appreciation of aesthetic objects and one that needs structural analysis. Formalism, also called Russian Formalism, Russian Russky Formalism, innovative 20th-century Russian school of literary criticism. On the whole, the formalist approach to film study rests on the subjective viewer’s response to film, which I believe is the heart of the cinematic experience. The formalist theory is one that is very often used as a topic of study. The whole purpose of watching movies is to entertain ourselves. (“Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” 175). This process can be applied to every film, thus furthering the field of film study. In the beginning Russian formalist were trying to convert their theories from literary art to film. This modern film theory is used to evoke certain emotions or mental states with the help of technical cinematic facets such as lighting, scoring, sound and set design. Sometimes finding this answer proves most tricky, as not every film is great. The Formalist Theory A film theory is a discipline, which encompasses different aspects of cinema in order to explore different concepts regarding this form of expression. Perkin, V.F.. “Film as Film”, Ch./Art: Excerpts p. 1-6 as reprinted. Although I find both Perkins’ and Mulvey’s approaches to film worthwhile and significant, Wood’s method of studying film as it pertains to the spectator appeals to me most, for it focuses on the spectator’s perception. Formalism The subject of films is a matter of dreams for many persons though the attraction has come down after the new medium of video has come in. The Formalist approach to literature, or Formalism, is a broad branch of literary criticism that seeks to examine a text on its own terms, independent of the text's societal or authorial context. In breaking down specific moments in Psycho, we can understand Hitchcock’s motives by analyzing their effects on the spectator. moving the camera to create high energy. Formalism is a method of criticism which “examines a literary text or artwork through its aesthetic composition such as form, language, technique and style” (Formalism, 2018). Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Formalist film theory is a theory of film study that is focused on the formal, or technical, elements of a film: i.e., the lighting, scoring, sound and set design, use of color, shot composition, and editing. Most importantly, however, I believe my approach to Hindi film dances enables me to explore “Bollywood dance” as a site of reception of Hindi film dances as they move from films to stage. Common formalist approaches include analysis of style and narrative, as well as literary and artistic criticism. Wood’s theory also considers cultural reflections and assumptions exhibited in the film. Key characteristics of formalism is the theoretical and critical emphasis on form. The movement may have been short lived from the 1910’s […] ( Log Out /  This directorial choice to have the eyes visible for all except the policeman creates a parallel with the spectator of the film. Giannetti, Lewis - "Understanding Film" Langdale, Allan & Munsterberg, Hugo - "Hugo Munsterberg on Film: The Photoplay: A Formalism began in Russia during the 20th century by a group of linguists who desired a … Mulvey, Laura. Writing about edition or use of color in a film. April 1, 2018. ( Log Out /  Yet, for some it is still the medium to dream in. What is the ideology/ideological approach to studying film? But I agree that it has a very specific function and audience. Which of the following best applies to the Formalism approach to studying film The chief focus could be on patterns such as narrative openings and closings, the significant repetition and variation of camera techniques, or the relation of shots and sequences to each other. What is the formalism/formalist approach to studying film? More simply stated, Perkins considers why the film is as it is, analyzing editing and camera techniques and their effects on the spectator. Realism as expression of mythic, not the scientific. For this reason it is the preferred approach for propaganda. Elements like color, shapes, textures, and line are emphasized, while the context of the work is de-emphasized, and made a secondary characteristic—at times taken completely out of consequence. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The ideological approach as a whole has its place in film theory and critique, answering questions posed about cinema, utilizing psychoanalysis to conclude how we, the audience, should see film. Formalist film first came about in the 1920s, this is when formalist filmmakers were trying to legitimate themselves as artists. Formalism analyses the structure of a text without focusing on the external factors such as authorship, social and cultural influence. Avant garde films are an example of extreme formalism. I believe the Formalist Approach to be the more effective method of studying film because it is important to consider the moment or scene of a film not just in relation to the outside world, but within the context of the film in which it resides. Perf. His final consideration is asking how the film demonstrates what film can be, interpreting the film as a whole and finding its place in cinema. In the field of literary criticism, a formalist approach is one that studies a text as a text and nothing more. Perkins then asks how the scene relates to the rest of the film, connecting common themes found within. Formalism explores ideas, e.g., political, religious, and philosophical ideas. A good moment to analyze comes in the scene when the initial protagonist, Marion Crane, is pulled over by the police officer. Structuralism is based on the assumption that every text has a universal, underlying structure. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”, Screen 16.3, 1975. What more appropriate approach could there be than to use ourselves and our experiences with film as the driving forces behind analysis? 1969. This approach was proposed by Hugo Münsterberg, Rudolf Arnheim, Sergei Eisenstein, and Béla Balázs. Formalism is a school of literary criticism and literary theory having mainly to do with structural purposes of a particular text. According to The Routledge Encyclopedia of Film Theory, Film Theory is “…a set of scholarly approaches within the academic discipline of cinema studies that question the essentialism of cinema and provides conceptual frameworks for understanding film's relationship to reality, the other arts, individual viewers, and society at large." Mulvey’s approach exercises feminist values as a part of the ideological goal to ascertain how the world should be perceived in response to film. Most directors who are great stylists are formalists to some degree. Marion has committed a crime, but is regretful, and plans to return home to apologize for her thievery. In studying both formalist and ideological approaches, I believe Wood’s formalist approach serves film analysis best to fully appreciate cinema as a whole. Film analysis is the process in which film is analyzed in terms of semiotics, narrative structure, cultural context, and mise-en-scene, among other approaches. However, structuralism connects the work of a particular author with works of similar st… Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. However, these technical features have to be used for a certain purpose. Change ). Perhaps the reason I relate to Wood’s formalist theory of film analysis is because the answer to the question “why is film great?” truly lies within the spectator being questioned. (“Psycho” 157). parts of a … It is the study of a text without taking into account any outside influence. In a time of revolution a new form of literary theory also emerged. FORMALISM Formalism is the view that theoretical information about an object, or practical guidance about how to treat it, are to be derived from attention to its form rather than its matter or content. ( Log Out /  Formalist films have focus on technical elements of a film, such as the lighting of a shot, the colors in a shot and how a scene is shot. Thomson Jones describes formalist film as an appreciation of aesthetic objects and one that needs structural analysis. Different Views under Formalism . Wood’s methodology starts with an analysis of the director’s choice, and its subsequent effect on the viewer. What are Some Shortcomings of This Theory? The film usually presents extraordinary characters and events. Formalists disagreed about what specific elements make a literary work "good" or "bad"; but generally, Formalism maintains that a literary work contains certain intrinsic features, and the theory "...defined and addressed the specifically literary qualities in the text" (Richter 699). Two of the most popular and widely exercised approaches to film analysis are the Formalist and Ideological approaches. Formalist films will focus more on ideas, conveying emotions and feelings as well as having more fantastical stories. Formalism explores ideas, e.g., political, religious, and philosophical ideas. Formalist film makers shape and mold the images we see on the screen the way a sculptor shapes and molds clay. Perkins’ approach works best as a secondary stage in film analysis, to be preceded by Wood’s description driven approach. Formalism attempts to treat each work as its own distinct piece, free from its environment, era, and even author. (Photos sourced from google) Formalist film first came about in the 1920s, this is when formalist filmmakers were trying to legitimate themselves as artists. It is a major theory of film study today. Formalist film makers shape and mold the images we see on the screen the way a sculptor shapes and molds clay. This point of view developed in reaction to "...forms of 'extrinsic' criticism that viewed the text as either the product of social and historical forces or a document making an ethical statement" (699). Common formalist approaches include analysis of style and narrative, as well as literary and artistic criticism. The formalistic approach directs that art be analyzed by reviewing form and style. Formalism accomplishes this examination by evaluating the formal aspects of a text. This form of analysis derails from what I find to be more imperative, the understanding of the film through the spectator’s eyes, whether or not that includes the consideration of such outside factors raised in ideological theory. Through Wood’s formalist theory, we can begin to draw conclusions as to what the eyes represent in Psycho. Formalism is a very appealing method of literary analysis. Formalism The subject of films is a matter of dreams for many persons though the attraction has come down after the new medium of video has come in. Feminist study, such as writing about how women have been both negatively and positively represented in film. The film usually presents extraordinary characters and events. Formalism is a school of literary criticism and literary theory having mainly to do with structural purposes of a particular text. Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, John McIntire, John Gavin. Their approach to film emphasizes their ability to create story and emotion through manipulation. Examples of how formalism can be used in my future filmmaking could be to; All these devices are used to emphasize what the character is doing, seeing and feeling and not used just for the sake of doing so. I find this to be too broad, generalizing films into politically and societally driven machines. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. New York: De Capo Press., 1993. ( Log Out /  When she is murdered by what the spectator believes to be Norman’s mother, we then shift our empathy to the poor, unfortunate Mr. Bates. Perkins’ scrutiny of shot, scene, film, and cinema is an effective formula for determining what cinema can be. ( Log Out /  “Psycho”, Hitchcock’s Films Revisited, F&F, 1989. In Film Studies, the formalist tradition covers everything from the Russian formalists (see Eagle, 1981) to Rudolf Arnheim's pioneering Film as Art (1957), Christian Metz's film semiotics (1974a; 1974b; Buckland, 1999); Noël Burch's study of film's formal principles (1981); Edward Branigan's description of point of view in narrative cinema (1984); Raymond Bellour's shot-by-shot analyses of film segments (2000); … ( Log Out /  After viewing the film and evaluating its effect on the spectator, such as the effect of focusing on the eyes, we can ask ourselves, “what makes Psycho great?”  What makes the film great is that we as the viewer are put in position by Hitchcock to empathize with Marion and Norman, sequentially (transitioning with the shower murder). For this reason it is the preferred approach for propaganda. Seeing as how I have yet to conduct a film review on my blog, this analysis will fill that void. Formalist theory examines issues related to the nature of the film itself and how its aesthetics promote meaning. Current essay provides a comparative analysis of formalist and realist film theories, based on theoretical approaches, innovations, critical findings and film-making practice of such renowned representatives of both currents of the film theory as Eisenstein, Arnheim and Bazin. In the beginning Russian formalist were trying to convert their theories from literary art to film. As formalist theory in film progressed in the 1980s concepts of Russian formalist films were taken to create Neo-formalism. We later find out, when his mother’s identity is revealed, that he too has been fighting an internal battle of a more psychotic sort, between himself and his “mother”. A strictly formalist critic would, for example, approach The Great Gatsby as a structure of words, ignoring the details of Fitzgerald’s life and the social and historical contexts of the novel. ( Log Out /  Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. PLOT: A narrator begins the story by explaining that he's sane. The goal of ideological film theory is to realize, as a result of the film, how the world is or should be seen by way of the director’s vision. Film titles should always Change ), Formalist Film Theory and Psycho-Analysis. Current essay provides a comparative analysis of formalist and realist film theories, based on theoretical approaches, innovations, critical findings and film-making practice of such renowned representatives of both currents of the film theory as Eisenstein, Arnheim and Bazin. I really enjoy picking apart sequence (like Perkins’ approach)! In monographs about world filmmakers, aesthetic or formalist film theory is the most represented in the English language. ( Log Out /  The formalist approach analyzes films from a detail-oriented and spectator-based stance, whereas the Ideological approach is much more broad, focusing more on how the world is, and how it should be seen as a result of film. The exposure of the eyes leaves the character vulnerable, open to the viewer’s scrutiny, allowing access to their soul. Wood, Robin. This is a great way to tell a specific story as you can use certain devices to emphasis important information in the best way possible, instead of going through and using all the technical features you can, but not highlighting anything particular in your film. In studying both formalist and ideological approaches, I believe Wood’s formalist approach serves film analysis best to fully appreciate cinema as a whole. This modern film theory is used to evoke certain emotions… In film studies, formalism is a trait in filmmaking, which overtly uses the language of film, such as editing, shot composition, camera movement, set design, etc., so as to emphasise graphical (as opposed to diegetic) qualities of the image. What is the significance here? BASIC THEORY From there, he determines how the film fits into our world through Freudian psychoanalysis, which, in short, is a formulated study of the human subconscious. When you look into these theories closely, you can start to understand how and why formalist filmmakers crafted their films, and what theories we can take onto our filmmaking. pub. And hence the dark glasses of the policeman: he is the only character whose eyes we never see, because it is he who is watching Marion, and hence ourselves. Structuralism and formalism are two literary theories or literary criticisms that focus on the structure of a particular text. It is true that study at university level normally requires a Deep rather than a Surface approach; you are expected to be analytical, to investigate topics in depth and to develop a critical perspective on them, rather than just writing down everything and trying to reproduce it in essays or exams. Wood is another British film critic and professor, known for a slightly more spectator based, formalist approach. Using Wood’s approach, and analyzing the details of the film, we see two separate stories, focused around Marion during Act one, and Norman in Act two. Their approach to film emphasizes their ability to create story and emotion through manipulation. For example, formalists are aware that mise-en-scene, sound, camera, framing, editing and optical effects can be used to create a great work of art. Formalism depicts scenes in a way that a person can not see with the eye in real life. And without us having to go off and do all kinds of background research in the library. The formalist theory is one that is very often used as a topic of study. Support: V.F. However, I find this to be a much more intense and specific approach to film study. Both stories have internal battles of good and evil. The distinction between form and content is that content is the works subject matter whereas form is what we use and how we present the subject matter. Form Follows Function: Russian Formalism, New Criticism, Neo-Aristotelianism. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Through analysis of these characters and their personalities/actions, we can conclude that Psycho, in its simplest form, is a classic story of the duality between good and evil. The Formalist Theory. Mulvey utilizes a gender-oriented process of looking at film, as expressed in her article “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”: The image of woman as (passive) raw material for the (active) gaze of man takes the argument a step further into the structure of representation, adding a further layer demanded by the ideology of the patriarchal order as it is worked out in its favorite cinematic form – illusionistic narrative film. I really like that these filmmakers really focused on the content of their film and analysed the best ways they could present the story and its background. Film. The assessment of a piece of artwork is based purely on the artist’s skilland not on the choice of subject matter, with the value based primarily on the use o… Most directors who are great stylists are formalists to some degree. My rather formalist approach to Hindi film dances provides a foundation for investigating these dances in way that will allow me to expand on this research in the future. Another pioneer of Formalist film theory is Robin Wood, widely known for his famous review article, simply titled “Psycho”. The concept of understanding directors’ decisions as it pertains to the spectator is the foundation for this approach. If these terms are new to you, don’t worry—they’ll be explained in the next section. Formalism emphases aesthetics and style over reality. achieved considerable success when it comes to purging criticism Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ORIGIN CONT. In an article titled “Film as Film” by V.F. The ideological approach to film, practiced by such notable film figures as Russian director and theorist Sergei Eisenstein as well as British film theorist and feminist Laura Mulvey, also analyzes film through psychoanalysis of the viewer, but with different motives and intents than that of the formalist approach. In fact, he is the only character in the entire film whose eyes we do not see. This will then give the viewer a more authentic feel of the character and their story. Today, it is a major approach in film studies Yet, for some it is still the medium to dream in. To get into the concept of formalist film theory, one has to talk about the film in terms of the formal or technical elements within the film. The formalist approach as exercised by Wood helps to decipher these recurring themes, thus maximizing film appreciation. And receive notifications of new posts by email viewer ’ s description driven approach of as. Structural purposes of a text without taking into account any outside influence spectator is the preferred for... The beginning Russian formalist films will focus more on ideas, e.g., political, religious, and cinema an! To what the eyes visible for all except the policeman creates a with... While they were doing this, they then use these devices to craft film! 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