AUTEUR THEORY

• A theory of film study in which the director is viewed as the major creative force in a film. This theory suggests that the director is the “author” of the film (‘auteur’ is French for author).

AUTEUR THEORY

• Auteur theory states that directors have a distinctive style or consistent theme that is unmistakeable. Supporters of the auteur theory say that the most cinematically successful films will bear the unmistakable personal stamp of the director.

• they repeatedly use the same kind of subject matter

• they often address the same particular themes• they have a recurring visual and aesthetic style

IF A DIRECTOR IS AN AUTEUR..

• Auteur theory was developed by Francois Truffaut (left) in 1954. He drew on the works of his contemporary Andre Bazin, co-founder of Cahiers du Cinema. Andre Bazin argued that films should reflect a director’s personal vision and he championed the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Howard Hawks.

HISTORY OF AUTEUR THEORY

SOME EXAMPLES OF AUTEURS?

Quentin Tarantino

The Coen Brothers

David Fincher

Alfred Hitchcock Woody Allen Tim Burton...

• Beetlejuice (1988)• Edward Scissorhands

(1990)• Sleepy Hollow (1999)• Sweeney Todd (2007)• Dark Shadows (2012)

AN EXAMPLE: TIM BURTON

In pairs, write down similarities between these films in terms of themes and style

WES ANDERSON

(1998)

WE HAVE WATCHED:

(2001) (2004)

OTHER FILMS...

BOTTLE ROCKET (1996)Co-written by Anderson and

Owen Wilson. As well as being Wes Anderson's directorial debut, Bottle Rocket was the debut feature for brothers Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson, who co-starred with James Caan and Robert Musgrave. Focusing on a trio of friends and their elaborate plan to pull off a simple robbery and go on the run. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hspUSez-rYY

THE DARJEELING LIMITED (2007)

Directed by Wes Anderson, and starring Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman. It was written by Anderson, Schwartzman, and Roman Coppola. One year after their father's funeral, three brothers travel across India by train in an attempt to bond with one another. Also features the short film ‘Hotel Chevalier’ as a prologue, starring Schwartzman and Natalie Portmanhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO1bYukdvLI

FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)A stop-motion animated family comedy

film based on the Roald Dahl children's novel of the same name. This story is about a fox who steals food each night from three mean and wealthy farmers. The farmers are fed up with Mr Fox's theft and try to kill him, so they dig their way into the foxes' home. However, the animals are able to outwit the farmers and live underground. Starring (the voices of) George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzmanhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2igjYFojUo

MOONRISE KINGDOM (2012)Written by Anderson and

Roman Coppola, and starring an ensemble cast, including Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman and Tilda Swinton. The film is about a pair of young lovers in the 1960s who flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N8wkVA4_8s

(What the film looks and sounds like)STYLE

REGULAR COLLABORATORS

Bottle Rocket(1996)

Rushmore(1998)

The Royal Tenenbaums

(2001)

The Life Aquaticwith Steve Zissou

(2004)

The Darjeeling Limited

(2007)

Fantastic Mr. Fox(2009)

Moonrise Kingdom

(2012)

Bill Murray

Owen Wilson

Jason Schwartzman

Kumar Pallana

REGULAR COLLABORATORS

Bottle Rocket(1996)

Rushmore(1998)

The Royal Tenenbaums

(2001)

The Life Aquaticwith Steve Zissou

(2004)

The Darjeeling Limited

(2007)

Fantastic Mr. Fox(2009)

Moonrise Kingdom

(2012)Eric Chase Anderson (brother - cameos)

X X X X X X

Roman Coppola (writer)

X X X X

Mark Mothersbaugh (Composer)

X X X X X

REGULAR COLLABORATORS

Filmmakers who are argued to be auteurs often work with recurring collaborators: •Martin Scorsese-De Niro/DiCaprio,• Steven Speilberg-John Williams (Composer)• Christopher Nolan-Michael Caine

Can you think of any other famous collaborators?

USE OF TYPOGRAPHYAnderson frequently uses non-diegetic (i.e. Not from within the film world) typography on screen, usually in the font ‘Futura’.

CHAPTER TITLE CARDSAnderson will often split his films into episodic chapters, which are displayed as title cards on screen, using the typography mentioned previously

SYMMETRICAL FRAMINGAnderson will often place a character in a scene which is set up symmetrically. Long and mid-shots are often used to emphasise this

TOP SHOTSTop shots are high-angle shots that are filmed from above the subject. Anderson frequently uses top-shots, particularly when focussing on objects.Video example

CONVERSATIONS: SHOT-REVERSE-SHOTOver-the-shoulder shots are the norm in filming conversations between characters. Anderson however frequently uses characters placed centrally in the frame, returning from one to the other, almost in a ‘point-of-view’ style.

‘UNNATURAL’ CAMERAWORKAnderson will frequently adopt unnatural camera

work, such as stationary pans (where the camera moves from left-to-right between two subjects, and drastic zooms. This adds a ‘retro’ feel to film, similar to camerawork from some 60s film-making, amateur film-making, and Bollywood.

MISE-EN-SCENEWes Anderson films are known for their meticulously constructed mise-en-scene. He loads the scene with objects, pictures, figures in the background and décor which tends to distract the audience form the action. Décor and objects are often anachronistic (not of the time in which the film is set)

COSTUMECharacters in Wes Anderson films will often dress anachronistically, or wear costumes which appear out of place. Another thing worthy of note is that characters will often dress as groups, and have common, almost uniform characteristics. Here are some examples…

The three brothers from ‘The Darjeeling Limited’. Each wears a seemingly expensive tailored suit with open collar, that differ slightly in colour. In this scene they each wear a flower necklace of differing colours as well. As they are travelling through India, the costume of the three brothers isolates them even more from their surroundings and the much poorer natives.

Perhaps most distinctively, Team Zissou all wear the same blue uniform with red bobble hat, albeit with slight variations.

Chas, Ari and Uzi from the Royal Tenenbaums. These three characters are dressed identically, presumably to show their solidity as a family unit.

Whilst we assume that ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ is set in the present day, all the characters seem to dress as if from a by-gone era.

Max Fischer from Rushmore, who wears a red beret (similar to Steve Zissou), and wears his school uniform and blazer much more proudly and smartly than the other students.

Even Mr. Fox dresses just like Wes Anderson himself…

MUSICWhilst almost all of Wes Anderson’s films are scored by either Mark Mothersbaugh or Alexandre Desplat, his films are also dominated by their soundtracks. These almost exclusively feature music from predominantly British artists from the 1960s and 70s. Recently, Anderson has also experimented with the use of some French and classical music also. If we look at the artists used in the soundtracks of some of his films, you can see the era from which this music comes.

• Bottle Rocket • The Rolling Stones, Love, Rene Touzet

• Rushmore • Cat Stevens, The Who, John Lennon, Faces, The Who

• The Royal Tenenbaums• Bob Dylan, Nico, The Clash, The Velvet Underground, Ramones

• The Life Aquatic• David Bowie (plus covers by Seu Jorge), The Stooges, Devo

• The Darjeeling Limited• Peter Sarstedt, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, Joe Dassin, Satyajit Ray

• Fantastic Mr. Fox• The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Bobby Fuller Four

• Moonrise Kingdom• Hank Williams (40s), inclusion of more European music - changing?

SLOW MOTIONThe use of slow-motion is frequent in Anderson’s films. He will often use slow motion at a poignant moment, or a moment which is a break in the narrative or just some people walking…), accompanied by a signature sixties song. Many of Anderson’s films end with a slow-motion shot.

Example (ignore Ja Rule…)

All of these stylistic elements add up to a very recognisable way of filmmaking that Anderson has made his own. The auteur theory suggests that a director is an auteur if their body of work shows a distinctive style and common themes. In terms of style, Anderson definitely qualifies as a modern ‘auteur’.

So much so, he has applied for the job of directing the next ‘Star Wars’ film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN_Uwo4qQTM

(What the film is about)THEMES

DEATHAnderson’s films will frequently involve characters who are defined by a loss in their background. This is often a character who has passed away which we never see on screen, but who clearly has had a substantial effect on the outlook and well-being of one of the main characters.

Chas Tenenbaum is still grieving over the loss of his wife Rachel, and we see the effects of this on his relationship with his two sons throughout the film.

Max Fischer’s mother had passed away some years prior to the time in which Rushmore is set, however this loss is clearly still felt and is arguably why Max pursues the older woman in Miss Cross. Miss Cross, being a widow, has her own grief which still dominates her character.

DEATH

The three brothers in The Darjeeling Limited had lost contact following the death of their father. They all still carry his baggage, quite literally (his suitcases), and some dress in his clothes. At the end of the film we see the brothers cast off the baggage (again, literally) and we see a flashback of their father’s funeral.

Esteban, Steve Zissou’s mentor, was eaten by the shark that he pursue out of revenge in the film, and Ned’s mother died of Cancer, which is the reason he seeks out Steve.

Sam from Moonrise Kingdom is an orphan who lives with Foster Parents. The driving force of the film is that he and Suzy run away together, as they are unhappy in their home environments.

FORBIDDEN LOVE

Richie and Margot Tenenbaum. Whilst not related biologically, as fostered siblings Richie and Margot are forced to keep their feelings for each other hidden from the rest of their family and friends.

Max Fischer pursues Miss Cross, the older woman who is a teacher at his school. This is driving force of the narrative in the film.

Whilst not ‘forbidden’, the love triangle between Steve, Ned and Jane in The Life Aquatic is epitomized by her bearing the child of another married man. This is not something that is often a feature of usual Hollywood love stories.

FORBIDDEN LOVE

Moonrise Kingdom explores the relationship between two 12 year-olds, Suzy and Sam, who run away together.

In The Darjeeling Limited, Jack has a brief affair with a waitress aboard the train called Rita (‘Sweet Lime’), who is in a relationship with the conductor.

FATHERHOOD

The Royal Tenenbaums chronicles the mission of a father to reconnect with his children. As the main character, Royal is seeking to make up for the time he has lost with his children through is own selfishness. Henry Sherman by contrast appears to be a model father.

In Rushmore, Herman is a successful businessman but has a distant and frustrating relationship with his sons. In contrast, Max’s Dad is very caring and supportive, but Max wishes he was more of a professionally successful man.

The Life Aquatic explores the difficult beginnings of a father-son relationship between two adult males (Ned and Steve) who have recently discovered each other.

FATHERHOOD

Whilst Fantastic Mr Fox is perhaps the most simplistic of Anderson’s films, Fatherhood plays a key role. It looks at how Mr. Fox begins to relish his role as a father to Ash in his middle age, and the extent to which he will go to secure the future of his family.

As previously mentioned, The Darjeeling Limited revolves around three brothers who rekindle their relationship following the death of their father, who still plays a key role in the lives of each of the men, albeit in different ways.

Moonrise Kingdom again features Billy Murray as the emotionally distant father figure in turmoil when his daughter goes missing.

These are three of perhaps the most prominent themes that occur within the stories of Anderson’s films.

There are of course other themes you could find and explore, which would be common across his work. For example, the broken family unit, sibling rivalry, and the strive for acceptance amongst peers.

The important thing about auteur theory is that you can identify common traits running through a director’s body of work.

For your essay, if you focus on auteur theory you will need to break down your chosen director’s work in this way.

TASKPick a film of your choice on which to apply the auteur theory.

Consider:• Who is the Director?• Why is this film a good example of them as an auteur?• What is their aesthetic style (ie do their films look and sound the same)?• What themes do they commonly use in other work?

Break your chosen film down in relation to the above questions, in the same way as we have done with Wes Anderson. What specific elements of the film show that it is the work of the auteur you have chosen?

Once you have answered these questions and established how your auteur operates, I want you to write an essay plan for the following essay question:

Critics of the auteur theory argue that film is a collaborative process, and therefore cannot be the attributed to the work of any one individual. How would you argue against this? Refer to a specific film of your choice in detail.