Film Art and Culture 2011 The History of Cinema Dr. Amy Lee 2 April 2011

Before we begin, some reminders From HKAGE (attendance, special arrangements because of adverse weather condition, etc.) Take-home assignments: –Submission –Grading –Final presentation Resources Course completion and credit claim

Course outline 1.Introduction to the mechanism of cinema An overview of the history of film 2. Culture and Identity: "Casino Royale“ 3. Gender relations: “Some Like it Hot” 4. Personal growth and self awareness: "Mostly Martha“ 5. Individual and Society: "Ghost in the Shell” 6. Making a creative presentation - Final presentation- Sharing of experience

Today 1.An overview of the history of cinema production 2.Some experiential learning exercise to “feel” the process of cinematic narrative production 3. To note some important moments in cinema

Nature of cinema: What is a movie? film picture motion picture

The birth of “motion” “pictures” “A Concise History of the Origins of Cinema” e+History+of+the+Origins+of+Cinema/ http://video.tvguide.com/Movies/A+Concis e+History+of+the+Origins+of+Cinema/

Movie = moving images Images: drawings, pictures, photographs … + Movement + Optical illusion + Projection + Public viewing

Early Cinema 1 First still photograph Illusion of motion – optical toys Short films for individual viewers –Thomas Edison: Kinetograph camera and Kinetoscope viewing box in 1891 –Individual viewing –Film length: 20 seconds

Early Cinema 2 Longer films and more audience –Lumière Brothers invented the projection system in 1895 for public showing –December 1895 first public showing –A programme of 10 films, a total of 25 minutes The birth of cinema (in terms of the most basic mechanism) was completed by 1897

Now, a game… Get into groups of 3 or 4 people. You are going to “make” a film – –it can be any genre (romance, history, revenge, kung fu…) –there can be no dialogue –the film should be 20 seconds long!

What about content? But movie is not just moving pictures. Movie/Film is a means of communication. Sender – Message – Receiver

Message: reviews, behaviour, prize values beliefs traditions history Message: film

Major development of motion pictures USA France Germany The Soviet Union

USA 1 Before 1905, films were shown by touring exhibitors: 25 cents/person , lots of film theatres were built: –one storey –about 200 seats –Price was usually one nickel (5 cents) –Cinemas called nickel theatres/nickelodeon 1908 the nickelodeon was the main form of movie venue

USA 2 Up to now, films were one reel long (10-15 minutes) 1909, US producers started making multi- reel films: longer Mid-1910: decline of short films and the rise of feature films LA became the major production centre of US films

USA 3 USA film style during this early period: –Focused on narrative cause and effect –Emphasized continuity –Used intertitles to help create clarity –Basic editing method: Intercutting, Analytical editing, Continuity editing –Lots of close-ups –Usually showed character’s optical point of view (POV)

France: Impressionism 1 2 major views to cinema: –for profit –for art : film was art - Impressionist theory –Art is a form of expression –It should create fleeting feeling or impression –It emphasizes “experience” –It evokes emotions (of viewers)

Pierre August Renoir: Dance at the Moulin de la Galette (1876)

Claude Monet: Rouen Cathedral ( )

France: Impressionism 2 Beliefs about French film in that period: –A synthesis of other arts –The medium as a tool –Natural acting –On-location shooting –Emotions are the basis of the films

France: Impressionism 3 French impressionist films: –Enhance the “photogenie” of the films –Show character subjectivity –Use optical tricks to create different impressions: filter, out of focus shooting, slow motion, etc.

Germany: Expressionism 1908 Expressionism was a style in painting and theatre: express inner emotions Edvard Munch: “The Scream” (1895)

Oskar Kokoschka: The Storm (1914)

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) –Stylised sets and special mise-en-scene –Un-natural style of acting –This film became internationally famous and created a new style

Something to think about: Do you think Frances is telling the truth (about Dr. Caligari)? Why? (or why not?) As an audience, how do you relate to the film narrative?

The Soviet Union the government set up a new company, Sovkino, to run the film industry: –Cinema was for education, so for everyone –Sovkino got into financial difficulty –Later young directors helped to open western market: e.g. Sergei Eisenstein (Potemkin) 1925

The Soviet Union 2 Soviet cinema: –Had to be socially useful –A new visual art called Constructivism: art = machines, made up of small parts –To put small parts together = MONTAGE

How does montage work?

The Soviet Union 3 Soviet Montage Cinema: –Narrative: the mass as more important than individual –Characteristics: greater number of shots energetic cutting: intercutting editing used audience’s active interpretation needed not traditional coherent story telling

More mature cinema USA Hollywood: Techniques and Genre Italy: Neorealism France: New Wave Hong Kong

USA Hollywood: Techniques 1 Sound recording: –First “talkie”: 1927 “The Jazz Singer” –multiple track recording by 1932 Camera movement: –1932 introduction of the Bell and Howell Rotambulator, a heavy device (700lb.) to raise the camera up to 7 feet –1936 The Fearless Company invented the Panoram Dolly, small enough to put into rooms –Crane movements more common: for spectacular shots

USA Hollywood: Techniques 2 Technicolour –1930s and 1940s use of colour for fantasy and special effects Special effects –Rear projection –Optical printing: to combine images by superimposition, or joined like jigsaw puzzle –New mechanical devices: dry-ice etc.

USA Hollywood: Genre Screwball comedy –Most popular during –e.g. Some Like It Hot (1959) –e.g. Monkey Business (1952) Horror film –e.g. James Wale’s Frankenstein (1931) Gangster film –A reflection of social problem –e.g. Howard Hawks’ Scarface (1932) Film noir –Big city crimes and criminals –e.g. John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Italy: Neorealism 1 In Spring 1945, Italy was liberated Because of fall of Mussolini, no government control over film, film production shrank Neorealist cinema was a force of social change and cultural renewal Focused on social problems: inflation, unemployment, etc.

Italy: Neorealism 2 Neorealist films: –Report reality to help social change –Emphasize moral dimension –Documentary approach: On-location shooting Non-professional actors Daily life incidents Coincidence

France: New Wave 1 During 1950s, idealism and political movement in France National centre of cinema (1953) sponsored new directors to make short films During many new directors: –Claude Chabrol –François Truffaut –Jean-Luc Godard

France: New Wave 2 Characteristics of New Wave cinema: –On-location shooting –Portable equipment –Not famous actors –Small crew –Film shot silent and sound dubbed later –Open-ended narrative –Main themes: No trust in authority Political and romantic commitment suspected

Hong Kong 1 Starting from 1950s, growth of Hong Kong film industry –Shaw Brothers company the biggest –Major genres: family melodramas, Cantonese opera films, swordfight movies 1958 Movietown was built by the Shaw Brothers company 1960s Run Run Shaw revised the martial- arts film: more actions

Hong Kong 2 Raymond Chow: –Originally head of production in Shaw company –1970 founded Golden Harvest –Starring Bruce Lee: 1971 film Fists of Fury made him into a star

Hong Kong today More new genres, but strongest: –Kung fu/martial arts –Gangster –Thriller/mystery –Light romantic comedy

Summary Development of the mechanism of the cinema: –Still images –Moving images –Projection for the public –Other advanced effects

Overview of the historical development in different countries: –USA: technology and genres –France: Impressionist approach – the visual image and the emotions – the New Wave in the 1960s –Germany: Expressionist approach – the effect of WWI –The Soviet Union: montage –Italy: Neorealism and the post WWII effects

Motion picture has travelled a long way since its birth Technique - Length – Content – Function – Audience - Status But different people have different ideas as to what is the essential value of cinema… Let’s hear Norma Desmond, a silent film movie star, talking about new technological developments in cinema in a film Sunset Boulevard (1958).

Next … Assignment: –A short reflection (300 words) –You have been taken through a brief history of film today. In your opinion, what is the most important development in the history of film to make it what it is today? You may refer to its content, function, status, or any other factor which you think is relevant. –Please submit a hard copy of your work next week.