What makes a Filmmaker an Auteur?

Since the 1950s, there has been various studies on auteur theory and 'who was the sole author of the finished product'. (Cook, 1985 p235)  Recently, Sally Phillips, comedian actress best known for 'Smack the Pony',  'Bridget Jones Diary' and 'Miranda' has wrote her first movie 'The Decoy Bride', which is released this Friday (09/03/12).  She was interviewed on 'Something for the Weekend' and openly said that the time the director is through filming and editing, the original story does change as its his final decision. 

Source :
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0IJZAAAAMAAJ&dq=the%20cinema%20book%2C%20cook%20and%20bernink&source=gbs_book_other_versions


Alfred Hitchcock



Alfred Hitchcock
(13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980)

One master storyteller director is Alfred Hitchcock, who was very controlling to make sure he made that perfect film.  Cook says 'he is a master of cinematic mise-en-scene who created an unmistakable and homegeneous world-view, controlling his audience so that they were completely at the mercy of this intention' (Cook, 1985 p246).  Hitchock follows the Peter Wollen auteur theory with recurring themes and motifs throughout all his movies so that you know it is a Hitchcock movie.  For example, most of his leading ladies are blonds for example, Grace Kelly in 'To Catch a Thief', Tippi Hedren in 'The Birds' and 'Marnie', and Doris Day in 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' she starred with James Stewart, another recurring theme he also appeared in  'Rear Window', 'Vertigo'. Other recurring themes include, the build up of suspense over time, birds, falling, betrayal, disguise to name but a few.  Donald Spoto talks about how 'the leading ladies achieved international stardom because of their Hitchcock role' (Spoto 2008 Pxvi), and he always took the credit for the film.  A quote at the back of Spoto's book 'Spellbound by Beauty' fits Hitchcock to a tee, 'Hitchcock's art imitated his life and mentality with disquieting closeness'.

Source : http://rgucinemasociety.blogspot.com/search/label/Lecture  (Lecture 3)

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0IJZAAAAMAAJ&dq=the%20cinema%20book%2C%20cook%20and%20bernink&source=gbs_book_other_versions
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2j1q_34nVKIC&dq=donald+spoto+-+spellbound+by+beauty&hl=en&ei=qO5ZT4OKKYjC0QWg9-XEDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-thumbnail&redir_esc=y

Guy Ritchie

If there is one director's films that I avoid, that is Guy Ritchies because it is a typical bloke film that will always contain violence which I am not interested in.  He always seems to do the same thing, a typical gangster film using well known hard man actors like Vinnie Jones and Jason Stratham and set in London's East End with the cockney accents with comedy thrown in.  Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) was also written by Ritchie so he would be the overall author/auteur.  Andrew Sarris values social realism (Cook, 1985 p256) and that fand says its the distinguishable personality of the director that is important and that he has technical competence, style and interior meaning and Ritchie does fall under this theory as he was born in London where most of his films are set including the recent Sherlock Holmes movies although its seems more of a Hollywood Blockbuster which I actually did enjoy.  He also has a working class background so would have a good knowledge of the history and location.

Source : http://rgucinemasociety.blogspot.com/search/label/Lecture  (Lecture 3)
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0IJZAAAAMAAJ&dq=the%20cinema%20book%2C%20cook%20and%20bernink&source=gbs_book_other_versions

 

Tim Burton



Helen Bonham Carter
in Alice in Wonderland

Tim Burton's films intrigue me and I have definitely watched a lot of his films including Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sleepy Hollow, Sweeny Todd, Batman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands.  He seems to capture my attention throughout the whole movie with perfect story telling that I am memorised and left wanting more and stands out from any other director.  Burton follows the Peter Wollen auteur theory with recurring themes and motifs throughout all his movies so that you know it is a Tim Burton movie.  Most of his films have set stars of Johnny Depp and Helen Bonham Carter in starring roles and the films are always quite dark, quirky and both actors are versatile with their changing image for each role.   Burton also follows the Barthe's Theory of discourse analysis, meanings of film and surrealism with dreams and sub-conscience. Burton seems to like cartoon characters and this is evident from with the various strange characters which are dark figures of his imagination and supernatural comedy horror.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Burton

http://rgucinemasociety.blogspot.com/search/label/Lecture  (Lecture 3)