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. Formalist film makers shape and mold the images we see on the screen the way a sculptor shapes and molds clay. 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. The formalist theory is one that is very often used as a topic of study. What is the ideology/ideological approach to studying film? 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. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. As formalist theory in film progressed in the 1980s concepts of Russian formalist films were taken to create Neo-formalism. In fact, he is the only character in the entire film whose eyes we do not see. 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. Plato (c. 430--347 B … Writing about edition or use of color in a 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. 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. 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. But I agree that it has a very specific function and audience. Common formalist approaches include analysis of style and narrative, as well as literary and artistic criticism. 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 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. 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. Structuralism is based on the assumption that every text has a universal, underlying structure. This process can be applied to every film, thus furthering the field of film study. In an article titled “Film as Film” by V.F. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”, Screen 16.3, 1975. In the beginning Russian formalist were trying to convert their theories from literary art to film. The film usually presents extraordinary characters and events. However, I find this to be a much more intense and specific approach to film study. And without us having to go off and do all kinds of background research in the library. Formalism attempts to treat each work as its own distinct piece, free from its environment, era, and even author. 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. If these terms are new to you, don’t worry—they’ll be explained in the next section. In the movie The Matrix, color, shots, and angles are used to illustrate the idea of formalism. Throughout the movie, color is used to add depth and help establish the mood in the scene. It is the study of a text without taking into account any outside influence. Psycho. Perkins’ approach works best as a secondary stage in film analysis, to be preceded by Wood’s description driven approach. Key characteristics of formalism is the theoretical and critical emphasis on form. 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. parts of a … 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. ( Log Out /  Yet, for some it is still the medium to dream in. ( Log Out /  Their approach to film emphasizes their ability to create story and emotion through manipulation. Perkins’ scrutiny of shot, scene, film, and cinema is an effective formula for determining what cinema can be. Thomson Jones describes formalist film as an appreciation of aesthetic objects and one that needs structural analysis. What are Some Values of this Theory? 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. Most directors who are great stylists are formalists to some degree. Formalist films will focus more on ideas, conveying emotions and feelings as well as having more fantastical stories. 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. Wood’s theory also considers cultural reflections and assumptions exhibited in the film. 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. 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. ORIGIN CONT. Formalist theory examines issues related to the nature of the film itself and how its aesthetics promote meaning. What is the formalism/formalist approach to studying 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… Film titles should always 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. It is a major theory of film study today. Thomson Jones describes formalist film as an appreciation of aesthetic objects and one that needs structural analysis. Russian Formalism was an influential school of literary criticism that involved a number of influential scholars including Viktor Shklovsky, Yuri Tynianov, Vladimir Propp, Boris Eichenbaum, Roman Jakobson, Boris Tomashevsky and Grigory Gukovsky. It would certainly be impractical in many situations… but I enjoy it anyway! 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. 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. In the field of literary criticism, a formalist approach is one that studies a text as a text and nothing more. Dir. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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. pub. Their approach to film emphasizes their ability to create story and emotion through manipulation. Perkin, V.F.. “Film as Film”, Ch./Art: Excerpts p. 1-6 as reprinted. Formalist Film Theory and Psycho-Analysis. Perkins article and detailed scene analysis from film It began in two groups: OPOYAZ , an acronym for Russian words meaning Society for the Study of Poetic Language, founded in 1916 at St. Petersburg (later Leningrad) and led by Viktor Shklovsky ; and the Moscow Linguistic Circle , founded in 1915. 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. All we need is the text itself. Two of the most popular and widely exercised approaches to film analysis are the Formalist and Ideological approaches. In monographs about world filmmakers, aesthetic or formalist film theory is the most represented in the English language. The Formalist Theory. I find this to be too broad, generalizing films into politically and societally driven machines. 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. 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. Film. Formalist theory examines issues related to the nature of the film itself and how its aesthetics promote meaning. Formalism, also called Russian Formalism, Russian Russky Formalism, innovative 20th-century Russian school of literary criticism. According to this method, representation is based on formal structure and not content. 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. Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, John McIntire, John Gavin. Feminist study, such as writing about how women have been both negatively and positively represented in film. In a time of revolution a new form of literary theory also emerged. 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. BASIC THEORY Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. The whole purpose of watching movies is to entertain ourselves. What are Some Shortcomings of This Theory? Formalist film first came about in the 1920s, this is when formalist filmmakers were trying to legitimate themselves as artists. Formalism and Film A Look Behind Formalism What is Film Formalism? Change ). 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. More simply stated, Perkins considers why the film is as it is, analyzing editing and camera techniques and their effects on the spectator. 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. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. DIFFERENT VIEWS UNDERFORMALISM NEO-REALISM ANTI-REALISM REALISM AVANT GARDE 5. Wood’s methodology starts with an analysis of the director’s choice, and its subsequent effect on the viewer. The movement may have been short lived from the 1910’s […] In monographs about world filmmakers, aesthetic or formalist film theory is the most represented in the English language. In studying both formalist and ideological approaches, I believe Wood’s formalist approach serves film analysis best to fully appreciate cinema as a whole. The film usually presents extraordinary characters and events. Sometimes finding this answer proves most tricky, as not every film is great. Formalism is a school of literary criticism and literary theory having mainly to do with structural purposes of a particular text. 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). 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. 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. PLOT: A narrator begins the story by explaining that he's sane. Through Wood’s formalist theory, we can begin to draw conclusions as to what the eyes represent in Psycho. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Formalism explores ideas, e.g., political, religious, and philosophical ideas. Neo and Russian formalists believed the work of art as a set of devices, they then use these devices to craft a film. Perkins then asks how the scene relates to the rest of the film, connecting common themes found within. 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. Another pioneer of Formalist film theory is Robin Wood, widely known for his famous review article, simply titled “Psycho”. This approach was proposed by Hugo Münsterberg, Rudolf Arnheim, Sergei Eisenstein, and Béla Balázs. ( Log Out /  This will then give the viewer a more authentic feel of the character and their story. Formalism began in Russia during the 20th century by a group of linguists who desired a … I really enjoy picking apart sequence (like Perkins’ approach)! 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. However, these technical features have to be used for a certain purpose. Formalism depicts scenes in a way that a person can not see with the eye in real life. Marion has committed a crime, but is regretful, and plans to return home to apologize for her thievery. Mulvey, Laura. While they were doing this, they influenced soviet montage filmmakers such as Eisenstein. The concept of understanding directors’ decisions as it pertains to the spectator is the foundation for this approach. 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. Perf. In studying both formalist and ideological approaches, I believe Wood’s formalist approach serves film analysis best to fully appreciate cinema as a whole. Formalism explores ideas, e.g., political, religious, and philosophical ideas. I believe this is why so many people hold the cinema in such high regard, retaining strong opinions. In Wood’s simply titled article, “Psycho”, he states: Hence the insistence on eyes, into which the camera, our own eyes, makes us look, to see the dark places of the human soul beyond. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. ( Log Out /  The idea originates in ancient Greek metaphysics. These films… (“Psycho” 157). Wood, Robin. Form Follows Function: Russian Formalism, New Criticism, Neo-Aristotelianism. NEO-REALISM: Andre Bazin. 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. In the beginning Russian formalist were trying to convert their theories from literary art to film. ( Log Out /  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). It is the study of a text without taking into account any outside influence. Formalism analyses the structure of a text without focusing on the external factors such as authorship, social and cultural influence. 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. A film theory is a discipline, which encompasses different aspects of cinema in order to explore different concepts regarding this form of expression. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. A good moment to analyze comes in the scene when the initial protagonist, Marion Crane, is pulled over by the police officer. 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. 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”. 1969. Formalism is a school of literary criticism and literary theory having mainly to do with structural purposes of a particular text. April 1, 2018. The formalist theory is one that is very often used as a topic of study. Common formalist approaches include analysis of style and narrative, as well as literary and artistic criticism. Most directors who are great stylists are formalists to some degree. Formalism, in other words, allows us to explain how writers achieve certain effects. Finally, we apply what we know about the film, its effects, and its greatness, to determine how the film fits into our, the audience’s, world. Structuralism and formalism are two literary theories or literary criticisms that focus on the structure of a particular text. Following the understanding of audience perception, the question of film greatness comes into play. 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. However, structuralism connects the work of a particular author with works of similar st… moving the camera to create high energy. 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. Avant garde films are an example of extreme formalism. ( Log Out /  Both stories have internal battles of good and evil. Seeing as how I have yet to conduct a film review on my blog, this analysis will fill that void. 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. 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). 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. This is part of the lecture I give students on the first day of class for HUM1900 Introduction to Film. 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. 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. For this reason it is the preferred approach for propaganda. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Recognition, Alignment, Allegiance in Taxi Driver, Use the camera to emphasise the subject’s mood e.g. New York: De Capo Press., 1993. Formalism emphases aesthetics and style over reality. 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. Alfred Hitchcock. 4. In breaking down specific moments in Psycho, we can understand Hitchcock’s motives by analyzing their effects on the spectator. (Photos sourced from google) Formalist film first came about in the 1920s, this is when formalist filmmakers were trying to legitimate themselves as artists. 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The nature of the film itself and how its aesthetics promote meaning effects on the external factors as... Examination by evaluating the formal aspects of a text without taking into account any outside influence your WordPress.com account opinions!