Film Chapter 6
What did Stanislavsky disapprove of and why?
He disapproved of the star system and believed in ensemble playing - genuine interactions among the actor/characters
How do filmmakers exploit the public's affection for stars?
Hitchcock, "Whenever the hero isn't portrayed by a star the whole picture suffers....Audiences are far less concerned about the predicament of a character who's played by someone they don't know. "
Which big stars were ridiculed when first introducing the Method?
James Dean and Marlon Brando were ridiculed for throwing away lines and mumbling
What do realist directors favor?
Long shots to keep the performer's entire body in the frame and lengthy takes
Why weren't actors' names in the credits prior to 1910?
Producers feared they would demand higher salaries.
The Method or the System
The Method or the System - post WWII (1950s) tended to emphasize realistic styles of acting. Director Elia Kazan (On the Waterfront, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) showcased it. It is the dominant acting style in the US today as well as in Live Theatre. The Method was developed by Constantine Stanislavsky at the Moscow Art Theatre. Stanislavsky's ideas were adopted by the Actors Studio in NY which graduated Marlon Brando, James Dean, Julie Harris, Paul Newman etc. Kazan cofounded and taught there until 1954 and when he turned it over to Lee Strasberg - he was the most celebrated acting teacher in America and one of the most famous performers.
What is the relationship between actor and director?
The actor is another tool for the director - another "language system" for the filmmaker to use to communicate ideas and emotions
The art of silent acting encompasses
The art of silent acting encompasses a period of only 15 years or so. Movies were being produced as early as 1895, but most historians regard Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915) as the first masterpiece of the silent cinema. The changeover to sound was virtually universal by 1930.
How does the discontinuity of time and space place the performer in the hands of the director?
The discontinuity of time and space place the performer in the hands of the director. The performer doesn't know about the point of view shots or what will stay in or will be cut.
Who is Charlie Chaplin and what is he most noted for?
The most popular and critically acclaimed. He had balletic grace and his ability to blend comedy with pathos was unique. George Bernard Shaw, the greatest living playwright of this era, described Chaplin as "the only genius developed in motion pictures."
Why do the old silent movies appear jerky and slightly ludicrous?
The silent movies are not all shot at "silent speed" 16 frames per second (fps). Silent speed was highly variable as cameras were hand cranked. Comic scenes were under cranked to emphasize speed while dramatic scenes were over cranked to slow down the action. Because most present day projectors feature only two speeds - 16 silent and 24 sound- the original rhythms are violated.
The word fan is short for...
The word fan is short for fanatic
What does it mean to be a cultural archetype?
They can synthesize the aspirations of an era. Their values etc. For example, James Dean - 1950's rebellion to the youth explosion of the 1960s.
Beginning of improvisation on camera affect what?
To capture a greater sense of discover and surprise sometimes used it. (Although it had often been used by Chaplin, Keaton and Laurel and Hardy needed only to know the premise of a given scene). Truffaut and Godard used in. Also in The 400 Blows by Truffaut.
How do we mythologize stars?
Wealth, fame, beauty, unlimited worldly pleasure - make them seem supernatural.
Non-professional performers
amateur players who are not chosen because of their acting abilities. Because of their authentic appearance, they look right for a given part.
Stars
are famous performers who are widely recognized by the public
British actors tend to favor a mastery of externals based on close observation, such as:
diction, movement, makeup, dialects, fencing, dancing, body control and ensemble acting.
What are the four categories of film acting?
extras, nonprofessional performers, trained professionals, stars
What is a femme fatale?
in film noir, she is the female who will lead the main male character to his demise (death). She is manipulative and not to be trusted.
What is the difference between nude and naked
- nude is meant to be admired and looked at. It's alluring. - Naked is embarrassed and not wanting to be seen
British actors are the most prominent in film acting
British actors are the most prominent in film acting as well. The discipline they learn in the theatre makes them versatile to film with a minimum of inconvenience. In the acting profession, playing Shakespeare is considered the artistic summit.
Subtext is analogous to ...?
Subtext is analogous to Freud's concept of the subconscious.
Who are the great silent actors?
The great silent actors where Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton , Harold Lloyd, Harry Langdon and Laurel and Hardy.
The central credo of Stanislavsky's system was...
"You must live the part every moment you are playing it." He believed that truth in acting can only be achieved by exploring a character's inner spirit, which must be fused with the actor's own emotions. One of the most important techniques he developed is emotional recall in which an actor delves into his or her own past to discover feelings analogous to those of the character.
What is the difference between a personality star and an actor star?
A personality star tailors roles to fit his/her personality. An actor star is different with each role. It becomes an invisible art in which the actor's personality does not impinge on the art. Most stars fall somewhere in between as dictated by their own speech, personalities or bearing
Who is Greta Garbo and what is she most noted for?
perfected a romantic style of acting that held sway through the 1930s. Garbo became the mistress, courtesan, the other woman, the essence of the eternal Female. A love goddess par excellence famous for her love scenes.
Extras
provide a sense of a crowd to populate the scenery
Three rules of playing Shakespeare successfully are:
recite the language clearly, avoid the temptation to be sing songy as the dialogue is in verse, and make it emotional enough to have people understand the emotional content although some of the words are antiquated
Economic considerations determine what?
shooting of movie is determined by economic considerations
Trained professionals
stage and screen performers who are capable of playing a variety of roles in a variety of styles
Expressionist acting means
stripped of individualizing details and stresses a symbolic character rather than a believable, three dimensional character
What are the differences between stage and screen acting?
• On stage, the actor dominates • Films are bits and pieces - the actor doesn't have as much chance to create • Stage performer has to be seen and to be heard and to be believable. • Physical requirements are less exacting in theatre than in film. Film has so many close ups. • In theatre, the whole body is seen - actor must be conscious of everything • Theatre acting preserves real time. Build energy scene by scene and sustain the energy for the duration of the films. Close ups allow for nuances in emotion and they don't need to reach the back row.
More differences between stage and screen acting
• voice quality and volume (eg Marilyn Monroe - no good on stage). • Dubbing and takes give actors more chances. • Physical requirements are easier in movie - doesn't need to be tall - camera can do low angle shot. Also, if the camera "likes" you - very open features - it doesn't matter if you are good looking. • Film actor can be clumsy - just edit it. • Also, in film can use special filters, lenses and lights to change appearances. • Actors don't need to sustain the scene due to cuts
How does the cutting of film change the actor's performance?
Cutting the film makes the actor's performance the director's medium and makes their work better since the director is the one who calls the shots and shapes the content of the film
What do formalist director's favor?
Don't value the actor's contribution. Use editing to show the action more. Note sequence on pages 262-263
Who is Esther Williams and why is she famous?
Esther Williams mixed good lucks and sex appeal with fitness