VM100 Exam 2

Casablanca

1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz. Although Casablanca was an A-list film with established stars and first-rate writers, no one involved with its production expected it to be anything out of the ordinary; it was just one of hundreds of pictures produced by Hollywood every year. The film was a solid if unspectacular success in its initial run, rushed into release to take advantage of the publicity of and to coincide with the Allied invasion of North Africa and the capture of Casablanca. Despite a changing assortment of screenwriters frantically adapting an unstaged play and barely keeping ahead of production, and actor Humphrey Bogart attempting his first romantic leading role, Casablanca won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Its lead character, memorable lines, and pervasive theme song have all become iconic; and the film consistently ranks near the top of the lists of greatest films of all time.

Frank Capra

Acclaimed director of "It's A Wonderful Life," "Mr. Deed Goes To Town," and "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington." Who also directed one of the most noteworthy orientation films "Why We Fight" for the Office of War Info. "Why We Fight" was so good it was shown not only to soldiers but released for general audiences.

film industry response to Citizen Kane

After hearing that Citizen Kane was about him Hearst used his power to hinder the movie's release. He threatened to reveal Hollywood secrets and end Hollywood advertising if the movie went released as Louella Parsons, his chief critic, saw it in an early screening. All the Hollywood studio bosses joined together and offered to buy the negative of Citizen Kane from RKO to burn it and prevent its release, but RKO refused. The movie was released, but with limited distribution/exhibition. Orson Welles's contract with RKO was renegotiated, lessening his artistic freedoms. Citizen Kane was nominated for 9 Oscars but only won 1, (despite it often being referenced as "the best movie of all time"). Orson Wells was not liked in Hollywood; many disliked how he increased the already existing tension between the film and publishing industries. Film critics of the time dislike what they thought was Citizen Kane's contrived and obvious design, saying the style of the movie was "artificial" and made the audience, unfortunately, aware of it.

William Randolph Hearst

At the time of "Citizen Kane," Hearst was the largest publisher in the world and a two-term Congressman. His trademark brand of "yellow journalism" (journalism that is based on sensationalism and crude exaggeration) made him highly successful in the newspaper business. Citizen Kane is clearly a parallel to Hearst's life, which made him not too happy. He used his paper power to spread lies about Orson Welles, declared that Welles was a communist, and threatened to unleash the secrets of all of Hollywood if something was not done about "Citizen Kane." He stopped printing reviews and advertisements about RKO movies in his papers. Hearst did affect Orson Welles's career--his contract with RKO was renegotiated, lessening his artistic freedom, and Citizen Kane had very limited distribution/exhibition and therefore made very little profit.

Citizen Kane's modernist tendencies

Citizen Kane has a nonlinear narrative, which includes flashbacks of different judgment/viewpoints of who Kane was as a person, and its two-subject focus (two subjects which, aside from the investigation centering the movie have no relation to one another and have two very different viewpoints) are part of Kane's "modernist tendency," similar to the layered, varied perspectives of a modern cubist painting. Citizen Kane's ironic resolution is also part of its modernist tendencies; the point of the movie's action is to complete a newsreel, something that never gets made. The fact that it's a movie about making a movie lends to it being very modernist. Modernism is "art about art." Also, the infamous uttering of "rosebud," which is the center of the whole film, turns out to be nothing but a silly pet name, and we're told right before we find this out that it doesn't matter anyway.

John Ford and WW II Propaganda

Directed the Battle of Midway which was an unrealistic view of war. Served in the U.S. Navy during WW II. John Ford bravely encountered battle in order to record it with his camera

"War of the Worlds" broadcast

In 1938, Orson Welles was working with the Mercury Theater producing radio broadcasts for CBS. To create a naturalist effect for his radio broadcasts, Orson Welles decided to frame his idea of a story of aliens coming to earth to visit NJ in the style of a radio news broadcast. Some people tuning in late to the broadcast (it was up against one of the most popular hours on radio on another network) panicked and took the broadcast to heart. There were 911 calls and newspapers ran with the story, overblowing it for a yellow journalism effect. The FCC did an investigation into Welles, the Mercury Theater, and CBS.

Satyajit Ray

Indian realist and modernist director, prime example of the sweep of realism across the world in cinema post-WW II. His films used conventions of realism (on-location shoots, non-professional actors, etc.) and have modernist tendencies while dispelling myths about village life in rural India.

combat films

Intended for public audiences, combat films were intended to report on the war in order to garner public support for it. Combat films that were distributed by The Office of War Info supplied a sanitized, unrealistic view of war by using patriotic music along with narrative tools like voice overs to personalize the story of war in order to make the idea of war accessible to civilians.

Roberto Rosselini

Italian neorealist director of Rome: Open City. Worked closely with non-professional actors to achieve a naturalistic affect incorporating real facts about them into his films. Became increasingly innovative and experimental in style as his career advanced.

Umberto D

Italian neorealist film directed by Vittorio De Sica cast with mostly non-professional actors. Film about a poor old man about to be evicted by his landlady. Example of neo-realist film's use of realistic, everyday details playing a narrative role in the film; most notably in a sequence depicting a maid slowly waking up and starting her day. One of the first examples of "rosy neorealism" or the use of neorealism techniques like casting non-professional characters, on-location shooting and social problem narratives framed in style of 1930s Italian comedy.

Luchino Visconti

Italian neorealist who began his filmmaking career with the French realist Jean Renoir. Directed the neo-realist film "Ossessione" (1942) ironically based on the American hardboiled fiction novel "The Postman Always Rings Twice."

Rashomon

Japanese drama directed by Akira Kurosawa. Known for minimalist design and use of only three locations. Known for its innovations in close-ups and cinematography and natural light from the sun used and manipulated to be intensified with mirrors to light the film. Light is heavily used in the symbolism of the film Rashomon. Kurosawa's films, like Rashomon, were edited with many more shots included than normal films.

Akira Kurosawa

Japanese realist director of the 1950s. Used realist techniques like long takes and long lenses allowing for a more natural unfolding of the scene, lessening the limitations of his actors' movements. He often used unknown, nonprofessional actors and worked closely with them to draw out natural performances. Made the film Rashomon, which was widely successful and opened internationally the Japanese film industry to more distribution around the world.

Jean Renoir

Made poetic realist films and films based on the Popular Front political movement and known for his use of spectacular tracking shots. Treated virtually all of his characters with sympathy, and used realist techniques like showing everyday occurrences over spectacular events in his films and often hiring unknown actors. By the middle of the decade Renoir was associated with the Popular Front, and several of his films, such as The Crime of Monsieur Lange 1935, Life Belongs to Us 1936, and La Marseillaise 1938, reflect the movement's politics. Renoir made The Rules of the Game, a satire on contemporary French society. A few weeks after the outbreak of World War II, the film was banned. The ban was lifted briefly in 1940, but after the fall of France it was banned again.

deep focus in Citizen Kane

Orson Welles and his cinematographer, Gregg Toland, used deep focus in Citizen Kane. The term refers to a strategy of lighting, composition, and lens choice that allows everything in the frame, from the front to the back, to be in focus at the same time. With the lighting and lenses available in 1941, this was just becoming possible, and Toland had experimented with the technique in John Ford's "The Long Voyage Home" a few years earlier. In most movies, only the key elements in the frame are in focus, and those closer or further away are not. When everything is in focus, the filmmakers must give a lot more thought to how they direct the viewer's attention because the audience's take-in of the scene helps to "edit" the film. The mise-en-scene---the movement within the frame---becomes more important.

Citizen Kane's innovative use of sound

Orson Welles's background in radio made him a master of innovation in sound. He used sound bridges, where sound connects between shots of two different scenes, and used sound to create a sense of space (ex: loud footsteps to create a sense of a large room) and used overlapping dialogue to create, at the time, an unconventional effect of naturalism.

the Mercury Theater

Orson Welles's innovative/inventive theater group known for creating experimental plays. In 1938, the Mercury Theater moved to radio under contract with CBS to produce stage-plays for radio. Within a year, Welles and the group caused controversy with their confusing "War of the Worlds" broadcast.

French poetic realism

Poetic realism was a film movement in France of the 1930s. More a tendency than a movement, Poetic Realism is not strongly unified like Soviet Montage or French Impressionism but were individuals who created this lyrical style. Poetic realism films are "recreated realism," stylized and studio bound, rather than approaching the "socio-realism of the documentary." They usually have a fatalistic view of life with their characters living on the margins of society, either as unemployed members of the working class or as criminals. After a life of disappointment, the characters get a last chance at love, but are ultimately disappointed again and the films frequently end with disillusionment or death. The overall tone often resembles nostalgia and bitterness. They are "poetic" because of a heightened aestheticism that sometimes draws attention to the representational aspects of the films. The movement had a significant impact on later film movements, in particular Italian neorealism (many of the neo-realists, most notably Luchino Visconti, worked with poetic realist directors before starting their own careers as film critics and directors) and the French New Wave.

films in Vichy France

Producers had to go through a strict process with the COIC to film and censorship was prevalent, even harsher than in the German occupied zone of France. The rightest government strove to eliminate Jews from the industry. The southern zone had limited access to materials for filming, there were only a few small studios in the region and equipment was scarce. Funding was also difficult to find. The COIC alleviated the industries lack in funding and profit by further controlling the industry by providing low interest government loans to filmmakers.

training films

Type of propaganda film intended for military audiences to teach or explain the protocols and important points of being in the military. Because of The Office of War Information, some of these seemingly unimportant, small-scale films were directed by Hollywood heavyweights like John Ford.

Orson Welles and the Hollywood studio system

Unlike most during this era of Hollywood, Orson Welles was granted full artistic control on "Citizen Kane." RKO was so desperate to compete with other studios and to fill in gaps left by Fred Astaire that they took the somewhat infamous Orson Welles and gave him full artistic control, including the right to choose his cast and to edit the final film. Until public outcry of the controversial nature of Citizen Kane and protest from William Randolph Hearst, of whom Citizen Kane was a portrait of, tried to have the film suppressed. Still, Welles was able to make Citizen Kane with large, sweeping sets, big light set-ups, and it had a large expense to pull off well within the big studio system without the usual influence the studio had on the final film.

Louella Parsons

Was the premier film critic for William Randolph Hearst's newspapers. She is responsible for tipping Hearst off about the parallels between Citizen Kane and Hearst's life after she attended an early screening for critics and the press. It is because of Parsons that Citizen Kane experienced limited distribution/exhibition and why studio bosses tried to prevent the release of the film by offering to buy the negative from RKO to burn it after Hearst threatened Hollywood that he would release dirty secrets of stars that he had been keeping secret for years and stop advertising their films in his paper.

compilation documentary

a documentary made of archival footage re-edited together to create a narrative. Orientation propaganda films often use this strategy

Socialist realism in Russian films

an aesthetic approach designed to depict life truthfully not in a scholarly or objective way. Stalin and his friend Shumyatsky favored entertaining/easy films over the Avant Garde tradition of Montage cinema died out. Genres of Russian social realism were civil war films about the pre-Stalin era when the nation's goals felt more clear cut and attainable, biographical films about prominent figures of the revolutionary and pre-revolutionary era, and stories of everyday heroes. Films had to be pro-Soviet, anti-everyone else, and scripts/dailies were scrutinized constantly to ensure that they were pushing Stalin's agenda.

Popular front film-making

an alliance of left-wing movements. Blum passed regulation to give the working class better working conditions. They formed the Cine-liberte, in charge of making Popular Front Films and publishing a magazine. Popular Front Films were about the struggles and triumphs of the working class, reflecting the movement's political views. Rich people are often portrayed as deplorable. La Vie ext a Nous shows the unity of the people by setting the action of the movie in the center courtyard between where the characters live. It also has realist tendencies like deep staging. The film was innovative in its narrative structure. It uses intertitles, still photographs, newsreel footage, and signs to tell its story. It is typical of how Popular Front Films differ from the Poetic Realism genre because of its intense focus on the group's specific politics and its use of well-known Popular Front officials. Blum's controversial economic decisions, like proposals to nationalize certain industries, led to the topple of the Popular Front's government.

the battle of san pietro

authentic to real war. directed by John Huston

The Battle of Midway

combat film directed by John Ford depicting a sanitized, unrealistic view of war, shows no death, etc...It uses tools like racism against the Japanese, color film and patriotic music, as well as corny voice overs meant to make war and soldiers seem like something all Americans were closely related to. In its narrative, The Battle of Midway tries to explain the proximity of Midway to mainland America in an attempt to create an importance to America's involvement into WW II.

frank capra

criticized the wealthy. made the "why we fight" series

John Huston

directed The Battle of San Pietro. Which was banned by the Office of War Info until the end of WW II for its brutal, realistic depiction of war. Huston is an acclaimed American director known for his films about heroic, sometimes failed, quests.

Vittoria de Sica

directed Umberto D

The Battle of San Pietro

directed by John Huston. San Pietro is a combat film that tries to show the true harsh realities of war. Unlike the corny glossiness of the Battle of Midway, The Battle of San Pietro is ironic and matter of fact. Filmed in black and white and scored by somber classical music, The Battle of San Pietro tries desperately to show the brutal realities of the human cost of the war by showing actual combat deaths. Also unlike Midway, Pietro is dense with facts and was seemingly unbiased towards the enemy. Pietro was banned by the Office of War Info until the end of WW II and when finally released was prefaced with a message from a U.S. military leader who attempts to justify the upcoming brutality with America's reasons for entering in and their successes in WW II.

John Ford

directed the Battle of Midway-an unrealistic depiction of war and Stagecoach

john huston

directed the battle of san pietro

the Signal Corps

division of the military that regulates and disseminates communication and intelligence within the military. Hollywood people worked for the Signal Corps during WW II filming combat, making training films, etc. Production of Hollywood features slowed as Hollywood best dedicated their time and talents to the war effort

Triumph of the Will

documentary about a Nazi party convention commissioned by Hitler and directed by Leni Riefenstahl. A prime example of propaganda in film, which portrays Hitler as a superhero through use of slow-motion, silhouettes, and low camera angles. The opening of the film shows the expansive power of the Nazi army with its use of aerial photography, moving cameras, and scenes shot with long focus lenses. Also noted for its powerful use of classical music

orientation films

explained US interest to soldiers. Ex the Why We Fight Series

Leni Riefenstahl

female director of the documentary Triumph of the Will, a documentary about a Nazi party convention commissioned by Hitler. Overcame great obstacles of society at the time to become a woman leading a team of men to make large-scale Nazi propaganda films. Nazi propaganda focused on newsreels and nonfiction so her works for the Nazi party were documentaries. Directed Triumph of the Will and Olympia, about the 1936 Olympics, both prime examples of technological feats in filmmaking.

Rome: Open City

first internationally distributed film in the Italian neorealist canon, about Nazi resistance in Rome during WW II. Used non-professional actors, shot on-location, use of long-takes and of everyday action to push story line. Directed by Robert Rossellini. Incorporated his actors' natural dialects, histories, accents and ways of dress into the dialogue and costumes of the film.

Office of War Information

in 1942 President Roosevelt organized the Office of War Information to make posters, media, etc. for the military and to act as a liaison between the military and media outlets. The Office of War Info worked with press and media producers to create military media and marketing as well as running its own public information campaigns. The hope was to ease the American public into the war by portraying why the war was important to the U.S., encourage enlistment to young men by endorsing it with celebrities, and to push citizens to invest in war bonds. The enactment of the Office allowed for the dissemination and control of media output to the American public. Hollywood movies looking to be exported had to go under review from the Office which denied exports to films not portraying America well/antiwar/unpatriotic films. (Ex-the banning of "The Battle of San Piettro" until after the war)

Cine-liberte

in charge of making Popular Front Films

orientation films

intended for soldiers, not general audiences, orientation films are designed to explain America's reason for pursuing war and their place in the war. Often compilation documentaries edited out of previous footage to create a narrative

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

known for treating all characters, even eccentric ones, with great sympathy. Their production company, the Archers, Powell, & Pressburger made films that were very romantic and melodramatic, but have crazy twists in storyline and style that set them apart from conventional studio films. Funded by the Rank Organisation (a large, vertically integrated film company from Britain at the time), the brothers were given complete artistic control of their work allowing them to be unique and unusual. Used colors and their juxtaposition against black-and-white in film, particularly in "The Red Shoes."

Italian neo-realism

low budget features, shot on-location, about contemporary social problems, often using non-professional actors. Previously, Italian film was known only for big historical epics, very different from Italian neorealism. About the problems of everyday people, realistic after the realities of living through WW II. Neo-realist movies are known for their use of long takes and deep focus to create a more naturalistic effect in setting the scene allowing audiences to soak in all the world of the film, not just the subject speaking, etc. Neo-realist movies often include scenes that do not drive the story's plot or action but rather its message or character development and are known for having unresolved endings that do not give the audience a straight answer.

the signal corps

military branch that made propaganda and documentaries

the "Why We Fight Series"

originally intended to be shown to U.S. soldiers. Was also shown to general audiences and nominated for awards. Uses a melodramatic "us" vs. "them" structure to encourage the war and demonize the allied enemy

combat films

public support

the French "tradition of quality"

pushed the idea that the French art of cinema was superior to America's cinema. Went back to the traditions of French films, moving away from the realist and new wave films coming up in France around the world post-WW II and preferred tradition over innovation. "Quality" French films were often adaptions of great literary works in an attempt to portray a "high quality" and elevated take on film.

training films

shown to soldiers. Ex John Ford's Sexual Hygiene

The Bicycle Thief

very different than Rome: Open City but still in the neorealist canon, it is about a bicycle thief. What ties these two movies together, and all movies of the canon together, are their storylines that focus on modern social problems and how they affect everyday people and the use of portraying everyday life as a way to push the message of the movie. Also an example of virtually all of the stylistic tendencies of neo-realism: black and white film, long takes, deep focus, non-professional actors, directors working close with actors to draw realistic performances. Unresolved ending, scenes depicting things merely to show the film's message/character development/environment not push the film's action, shot on-location, made on a low-budget, and a narrative focused on the realities of social problems.

nationalization of the German film industry during WW II

was not nationalized until 1942. in 1933 the Nazi regime began the Ministry of Propaganda and Enlightenment to produce propaganda media for citizens, soon after all Jewish Germans were banned from the film industry. Filmreditbank, a government owned bank controlled all film production loans. Over the course of the late 1930s the Nazi regime began to slowly purchase more and more interest into key players in the German film industry.