In order to challenge the familiar and the conventional, French filmmakers often show audiences some shocking pictures and contents, as we can see in Sitcom, the father of that family become a big rat, and the mother has sex with her son. This would never happen in real world and dominant films. It is also challenge spectator’s positions and expectations. Sex is also a big issue in their films, homosexual, Sadism, even sex between parents and children. Filmmakers are trying to normalise those desires.
Performance style
“It is a context in which political groups largely defined by their declared interest in the removal of certain bodies within the social arena, bodies marked as irredemiably‘foreign’, bodies that allegedly endanger the tranquillity of the nation, are increasingly popular “ (Falcon, Sight and Sound) For instance, Sitcom mix the comedy and tragedy.
Legacy of movement in terms of subsequent films
People regarded French Mavericks as a special genre. In their films, high violence, lots of sexual behaviours. Most of French Mavericks films are well received in the world. But it is not yet become popular films. Critics’ opinions of French Mavericks are different; some of them walked out of French Mavericks films’ screen, but some of them agree it is great.
Self reflections and independent thought
Personally, French Mavericks film is not my favorite, because it confuses me sometimes. The narrative does not exist in this genre films, things happen randomly and the story shocks you all the time. It is not the film I get used to. But this is fascinating side of watching films, French Mavericks films not only shock me, but also teach me that things could go this way. For me, I see the unpredictable of films; I see the way to make the film different.
Italian neo-realism
The social political context of the movement and other influences
Italian neo-realism was emerging after the Second World War. But around 1920s and 1930s, it was a big changed in Italian cinema. It also leads to the emerging of Italian Neo-realism and Italian horror. During the 1920s, Italian films industry was in decline, Fascist controlled Italian film industry, at that time, Italian films are more about propaganda. But soon after, when the Second World War stated, American films are complete removed from Italy, because they stood in the different side of the war. But due to Italy lost the war, post world war Italian cinema was controlled by America. This big change leaded the emerging of Italian neo-realism. After Italy lost the war, the economy was depressed; people were suffering, especially working-class. Hence, filmmakers, such as Vittorio De Sica and Roberto Rossellini started to make realist films to expose the real social problem in Italy. It is also a rejection of Fascism.
Key directors and films
‘We were emerging from the tragedy of the war. We had all taken part in it, for we were all its victims. I sought only to picture the essence of things. I had absolutely no interest in telling a romanticized tale along the usual lives of film drama.’ said, Roberto Rossellini (1960) Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica are two most important neo-realism directors. Roberto Rossellini’ film Roma, Open City (1945) is considered as the first Italian neo realism film. Vittorio De Sica’s film the Bicycle Thieves (1948) is considered as the most influential neo-realism film. Other famous neo-realism directors like Luchino Visconti also made many great neo-realism films.
Main characteristics in terms of both style and content
Due to the war, the studios in Italy are destroyed. Therefore, the filming process has to take in other places, so we can see lots of street shooting. Hence, audience will actually see the views of Italy, such as Colosseum in Roma.
Filmmakers use nature lighting rather than studio lighting. They also use actors with no training in performance. The use of non-professional actors also makes the film become more realistic. Andre Bazin said ‘we know that the absence of professional actors in no way limits the choice of the subject.’ Lots of long shots and medium shots were taken in neo-realism films. Their style is similar to the documentary.
Filmmakers is trying to expose the difficult lives of working class people, so in Italian neo-realism, we can see many humanist and reformist themes. For example, the Bicycle Thieves explored a poor story of a working class father. The editing is also unique in Italian neo-realism films. Because they film on streets, the background is noisy. Filmmakers tend to shot their films in silent, and then use dubbing.
Performance style
It is no doubt that professional actors are better performer than non professional actors. But because filmmakers want to explore the reality of Italian society, non professional actors would suit these characters. It is just their daily lives.
Legacy of movement in terms of subsequent films & Critical interpretations of the movement
Italian neo realism is one of the most important film movements in the world. It influences French new wave and British new wave. And it also influences some recent Chinese films and Indian films. In 2001, Chinese director Wang Xiao Shuai makes a film name Beijing Bicycle which explores similar themes to the Bicycle Thieves. Realism films are well received all over the world. People not only watch their films, but also learn from their films.
Self reflection and independent though
Italian neo realism films aim at explores the social problem which is quite different from other genre films. It is one of the earliest film movements, and it is also the most influential one. So I think Italian neo realism is great.
Italian Horror
The social political context of the movement and other influences
Italian horror was emerging at 1960s. It is an important film movement in the world. During the Second World War, American films were complete removed from Italian cinema, because they stand for different side during the war. But after Italy lost the war, American culture come to Italy. This also influenced Italian cinema. Then Italian film makers started to make neo-realism films, this was also an important movement in film history. Around 10 years later, more and more American films come to this country; as a result, it led to the decline of Italian films. Then Italian filmmakers stared to making genre films. Horror film is one of them, and it soon became very popular. Giallo film is the sub-genre of Italian horror. The term Giallo directs translate to the word ‘Yellow’, it relate to a serious of yellow covered lurid pulp fictions novels which pblished in Italy around 1920s. Italian horror was deeply influenced by America, but when this became success, it also influences the slasher films all over the world.
Key directors and films
Key directors of giallo film are Mario Bava and Dario Argento. Mario Bava’s The Black Sunday was one of the early Italian horror films in 1960. And four years later, his another film Blood and Black Lace is considered as the most influential giallo film. Another famous giallo director is Dario Argento, has made many influential giallo film, such as The Bird With Crystal Plumage (1970), Deep Red (1973), Suspiria (1977). They are both regarded as the true auteur. Dario Argento is still making horror films now. ‘Dario is also a brand of horror film, a brand of Italy, and a brand of quality.’
Main characteristics in terms of both style and content
In giallo films, we can easily find its generic cycle. Italian horror is also called art horror. It is a combination of high art and high violence. The location in giallo films are always relate to art, such as the musician Marcus Daly (David Hemmings) which involves to the investigation of the murder in Deep Red. In this film, the director also shows several sculptures to the audiences. And the whole investigation also goes to several churches and modern art buildings. In another film of Dario Argento, Suspiria.(1977), a series murder happen in a ballet school, and ballet is also considered as a form of art.
Costume is another symbol of giallo film. They use raincoats, black gloves and masks to cover the real identity of the killer, such as the killer in Deep Red and Blood and Black Lace. And the music is also unique in giallo films,
Woman plays an extreme important role in giallo films. The identification of women is changed. Women are always regarded as the victim in ordinary horror films, and the killer is always male. But in giallo films, women become the killer and the victims are not only women. ‘If they have a good face or figure, I would much prefer to watch them being murdered than an ugly girl or man,’ once Argento said. The raincoat, gloves and masks not only cover the identity of killer, also conceal their gender, for example, in Deep Red, the killer is an old lady, and in Blood and Black Lace the killers are both male and female.
Legacy of movement in terms of subsequent films
Italian horror is an important movement in film history. It impacts the slasher film all over the world. POV shots can be found in many horror films nowadays. The use of shadow and masks, raincoats and black gloves also influence the development of horror films.
Self reflections and independent thought
I think although giallo is not very popular now, but the slasher films were deeply influenced by giallo films. We can always find similarities between popular horror film and giallo films. Around 1970s, those giallo films are really great.
British New Wave
The social political context of the movement and other influences
British New Wave was emerging between the late 1950 and early 1960s. It is around 15years after the Second World War, Britain just likes French and Italy, and they were still in the recovering of the war. During this period, Britain granted independence to many Africa, Asia and the Caribbean countries. And British band The Beatles and The Rolling Stones also become the most popular bands in the world. ‘The cultural trend setter of the entire world’ is the term to describe the position of Britain during that time. But in Britain, the culture revolution was emerging, young generation revolutionised attitudes to all areas of modern culture. Film is one of these modern cultures.
On the other hand, British New Wave is like the context of French New Wave. They both break the original style of film making. Filmmakers no longer use the studio-base form to produce films. And they think the old style British film is unreal, so they started to focus on working-class’s true stories to explore social problems.
Key directors and films
Within this movement, key directors include, John Schlesinger, Tony Richardson, Jack Clyton, Karel Reisz and Lindsay Anderson. Famous films include Billy Liar (John Schlesinger, 1963), Look back in Anger (Tony Richardson, 1959), Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Karel Reisz, 1960) and so on.
Main characteristics in terms of both style and content
British New Wave films are often shot in midland and the north of England. Because those cities are industrial cities, so there will be more working-class people. British New Wave is influenced by Italian neo-realism and French New Wave, so filmmakers also aimed at exploring the social problems. Therefore, we can see British New Wave films mainly focus on working-class, especially young generation. This generation is called ‘Angry Young Man’. It is a generation of disillusioned, they live in relative houses and their intellects undervalued. This generation has to take worthless jobs and they are not being offered the chance to prove themselves. British New Wave films often show the contrast of the real lives and their fancy of those ‘angry young man’.
Legacy of movement in terms of subsequent films
British only exist five years; it is only a shot time. But these five years has influenced British film industry a lot. Many recent British films still relate to working class. The emerging of commercial TV also related to this movement. It is also a moving between black and white into colour.
Self reflections and independent thought
British New Wave is an important and essential movement in film history. British New Wave films show us the different side of British live. It not only shows the common British identities (British culture,) to audiences, but also the real British society. I think it is a successful movement, because it broken the traditional film making process in that time, it brings lots of new staff to the world.
Spanish Cinema
The social political context of the movement and other influences
Spanish cinema is one of the earliest countries made films. Just like other European countries, Spanish cinema started with making silent documentary. At that time, filmmakers were trying to record the real world in their films. Riña en un café (Café Brawl, 1897) by Fructuos Gelabert is considered as the first Spanish-made fiction film. During that time, Spanish cinema was just like other countries, they focus on certain city. In Spanish cinema, they started with Barcelona, and Barcelona is their culture and business centre. Around 1930s, around 60 films a year were being made on Spanish soil in heyday, but majority of Spanish language films were being made in California and New Mexico.
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) is a big change in Spanish film history. Dictatorship is the only word can describe Spanish society during that time. Film studios were destructed; famous directors were exiled, such as Bunuel and the films were censored. The government wanted the make the cinema for propaganda. During this time, Spain was isolated from other countries, Spanish started to reject foreign films, therefore, filmmakers return to make traditional films, such as comedies, ‘zarzuelas’ and ‘espanoladas’. The Seond World War also made big change in Spanish cinema, filmmakers stated to make neo-realism film. Post world war Spain, many migration moved to cities to look for job; hence, many Spanish neo-realism films is about the effect of migration waves. During this period, Spanish cinema is also patriotic, religious and folkloric. After 1960, the Dictatorship was gone; Spain started to communicate with other nations and cultures. Nowadays, Spanish filmmakers still make very Spanish style films.
Key directors and films
Pedro Almodóvar is one of the most famous Spanish directors. His film All about My Mother won the Oscar for best foreign language film in March 2000. ‘In many ways, the film represents a culmination, and perhaps a distillation, of Almodovar’s directorial style, and of themes addressed repeatedly in his work as a whole’ (Mark 2001) He also made other very successful films, such as, Pepi, Luci, Bom(1980), Law of Desire (1987). Fructuós Gelabert(1874-1955) is the first director made Spanish fiction film, it is called Riña en un café (Café Brawl, 1897). Other famous director Spanish directors include Luis Bunuel, and Frank Tashlin.
Main characteristics in terms of both style and content
The locations of Spanish films are mostly in Madrid and Barcelona, as we can see from all about my mother. In Pedro Almodóvar’s films, there is a gender issue. Just like Italian horror, women also play an extreme important role in Spanish cinema. Most of his film is about poor women or transgender, for example, the domestic sphere in All about My Mother is entirely female.. ‘Almodóvar’s world-partly a rerlection of a post-feminist reality and partly an idealization or fantasy, in fact represents a disavowal of patriarchy.’ The use of colour is unique in Spanish cinema, expecially in Almodóvar’s films.
Critical interpretations of the movement
Although film is not the most important industry in Spain, but Spanish films, directors, actors are very popular. Such as Pedro Almodóvar and Antonio Banderas, they both contribute a lot to film industry. Many Spanish films are not only well received in Spain, but also in the world. Antonio Banderas is one of the most popular international icons in last twenty years, and Pedro Almodóvar’s film All About My Mother won Oscar best foreign film.
Self Reflections and independent thought
Spain is a passionate country, they are good at sports, they like challenge. Their films also have those characteristics. The relation between male and female is unique, especially in Pedro Almodóvar’s film; for example, his film Tie me up, Tie me down deeply shows the desire of human being.
New German Cinema
The social political context of the movement and other influences
New German Cinema was emerging in early 1960s. Just like other European countries, German was involved in the Second World War, but unlike British and France, they are defeated. The war influence New German Cinema, but it Influence it in a different way. New German Cinema was founded by some young Germany filmmakers who were born during the world. As the victims of the world, theses filmmakers have different views of the world. After the War, German was divided into West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) and East Germany (German Democratic Republic). Two areas were separated by Berlin Wall. Therefore, during the 1950s and 1960s, German is a country which lack of communication and freedom. Due to lack of financial support, lack of technique support and the increase of television ownership, it is an extreme difficult time for Germany film industrial. In 1962, twenty-six young men sign up and launching the Oberhausen Manifesto, this is considered as the beginning of New German Cinema. (Hayward, 2006) Although Germany and French are stood in the opposite side of the War, but after war they were facing the same problems, so in some aspects, New German was inspired by French New Wave.
Key directors
New German Cinema is established by twenty-six filmmakers. The key directors include Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Alexander Kluge, and Werner Herzog. They represent the best in New German Cinema. Alexander Kluge, his film Yesterday Girl (1966) is considered as the first New German Cinema film. This film combines the several elements such as documentary and fiction. Rainer Werner Fassbinder is probably the most famous New German cinema director, he directed The Merchant of Four Seasons (1972), Ali: fear eats the soul (1974). Werner Herzog is also a well know director, he has long history with making documentary, he directed Fitzcarraldo (1982), Nosferatu: Phantom Der Nacht (1979)
Main characteristics in terms of both style and content
New German Cinema is a representation of contemporary Germany society. This movement is exploring the chaotic teenager life. Loneliness, homelessness, drugs, fears and isolation, these are main themes of New German cinema. Although Germany film industrial is controlled by America, but New Germany aim to add Germany identity into their films.
Legacy of movement in terms of subsequent films
Many New German cinema filmmakers are still making films now, but some of them moved to America, such as Werner Herzog and Rainer Wenders. Although they went to America, but there are still many Germany identities in their films. There is also another film movement emerging from New German cinema, it is called ‘New New Germany cinema’, it was popular in the 1990s.
Critical interpretations of the movement
New German cinema grew up in a divide country, and the film industrial was controlled by occupying power. And it is lack of financial support. So due to these reasons, New German Cinema was not well received in the world. ‘young German films often bore little reference explicitly or implicitly to national or international film culture…outside any recognizable tradition of filmmaking traditional or avant-garde…a revulsion against the commercial film industry and its standard product, the fictional narrative film (Elksaeeser, 1989, 25) On the other hand, they are against commercial films, so it is not the tendency of film development.
Self reflections and independent thought
In my point of view, New Germany Cinema is making serious films. Their films always focus on certain social problem. But it is still a remarkable history of Germany cinema. This movement reflects the passion and the feeling of those people born during the Second World War
Bibliography:
French New Wave
; Thompson, Kristin (2006). Film Art: An Introduction (8th Edition). New York: McGraw Hill.
Marilyn Fabe, 'Auteur Theory and the French New Wave: Francois Truffaut's The 400 Blows', in Closely Watched Films: An Introduction to the Art of Narrative Film Technique, (Berkeley: UCLA Press, 2004)
French Mavericks
Andrew Asibong, French Studies, Meat, Murder, Metamorphosis the Transformational ethics of Francois Ozon, pp203
Italian Neo-realism
Martin Walsh, Rome, Open City the Rise to Power of Louis XIV Re-evaluating Rossellini
Bazin Andre, Qu'est-ce que le cinéma? (Paris: Editions du Cerf, 1958)
Italian Horror
Leon Hunt, ‘A (Sadistic) Night at the Opera: Notes on the Italian Horror Film’ in Ken Gelder (ed.) The Horror Reader (London: Routledge, 2000)
accessed on 1st April
British New Wave
John Hill, Working-class Realism and Sexual Reaction: Some Theses on the British New Wave
John Russell Taylor "Lindsay Anderson and Free Cinema", in Richard Roud(ed) Cinema: A Critical Dictionary, Volume One, 1980, (London: Secker & Warburg, p76-82, 79)
Spanish Cinema
Alberto Mira, The Cinema of Spain and Portugal (London: Wallflower Press, 2005)
Allinson, Mark (2001) A Spanish Labyrinth: the films of Pedro Almodovar (London and New York, I. B. Tauris )
New German Cinema
Elsaesser, Thomas (1989) New German Cinema: A History (Basingstoke: Macmillan and Rutgers University Press.
Susan Hayward, Key Concepts in Cinema Studies, (Taylor and Francis LTD: London, 2006)
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