early cinema
DESCRIPTION
Early Cinema. Lecture 3. Methodological Issues. Textual/formal analysis (e.g. Barry Salt, André Gaudreault ) What are the films themselves like? What stories are told? What techniques are used? Economic context (e.g. Bordwell and Thompson) - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Early Cinema
Lecture 3
![Page 2: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Methodological Issues• Textual/formal analysis (e.g. Barry Salt, André Gaudreault)
– What are the films themselves like? What stories are told? What techniques are used?
• Economic context (e.g. Bordwell and Thompson)– Who directed the films? Who (i.e. what entity) produced/paid for the
films? How did producers fit into the industry landscape?• Cultural and social context (e.g. Tom Gunning, Charles Musser)
– What social forces were shaping or influencing filmmakers and production entities? How do cinema institutions situate themselves vis-à-vis other cultural forms?
• Audiences/exhibition context– How did audiences receive the films? Who made up film-going audiences
(i.e. what was the audience demographic)? Where did audiences see them? Under what circumstances?
![Page 3: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
“Cinema of Attractions” argument 1• Rejects three related assumptions about film history that
have long dominated its historiography ( see Tom Gunning)– 1) evolutionary assumption
• Film history is linear and evolving• Early cinema is primitive cinema
– 2) cinematic assumption• The development of cinema owes to its slow discovery of a “cinematic
essence”—that which it was destined to be• Early cinema is still beholden and imitative of other forms like theater.
– 3) narrative assumption• Cinematic essence was discovered when films fully embraced
storytelling• Early cinema had not yet embraced storytelling, therefore it is primitive
rather than different
![Page 4: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
“Cinema of Attractions” argument 2
• Dominant mode of filmmaking before 1908 is NOT a storytelling mode
• Cinema pre-1908 favors display, surprise: ”a cinema of attractions”
![Page 5: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
What is a “cinema of attractions”?
• Foregrounds the act of display– Prefers current events (i.e. topicals), scenes from daily
life (actualities: viz Lumière), performances (e.g. dances, acrobatics: “Sandow,” “Serpentine dances”), camera tricks (e.g. Hepworth, Méliès)
• acknowledges the spectator• Exhibitionist rather than voyeuristic (or diegetic
absorption)• Arouses curiosity that gets satisfied by surprises
rather than by suspense• Occurs in the present tense
![Page 6: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 1:FROM THE SINGLE SHOTS TO MULTIPLE SHOTS,
FROM STILL CAMERA TO MOVING CAMERA
• Single shots– Actualities, direct address, violate “the fourth wall”
• Ex: Lumière, Edison
• Moving camera (tracking and panning)– The “phantom” ride films (tracking)
• Ex: Lumière: “Leaving Jerusalem” 1896– Multi-shot “phantom” ride (tracking)
• Ex: G.A. Smith: “The Kiss in the Tunnel” 1899– Panning
• Ex: Porter: “Life of an American Fireman” 1903• Ex: Porter: “The Great Train Robbery” 1903
![Page 7: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
SINGLE SHOT: LUMIÈRE 1896
![Page 8: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
SINGLE SHOT: LUMIÈRE 1896
![Page 9: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
MOVING CAMERA (TRACKING): PHANTOM RIDESLUMIÈRE, 1896
![Page 10: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
MOVING CAMERA (TRACKING), MULTI-SHOT PHANTOM RIDE: G.A. SMITH, 1899
![Page 11: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
MOVING CAMERA (PANNING): PORTER: “LIFE OF AN AMERICAN FIREMAN,” 1903
![Page 12: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
MOVING CAMERA (PANNING): PORTER: “THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY,” 1903
![Page 13: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 2:• Multi-scene films– Shot transitions
• Dissolve– Ex: Méliès: “A Trip to the Moon” 1902
• Straight cut– Ex: Williamson: “Stop, Thief!” 1901
• Vertical wipe– Ex: G.A. Smith: “Mary Jane’s Mishap”
• Pull focus– Dream transition
» Ex: G.A. Smith: “Let me Dream Again” 1900
– Scene Dissection • Cut-in, masking, point of view shots
– Ex: G.A. Smith: “Granma’s Reading Glass” 1900• Camera repositioning
– Ex: G.A. Smith: “The Sick Kitten” 1903– Ex: G.A. Smith: “Mary Jane’s Mishap” 1903
![Page 14: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
MULTIPLE SCENES 1: TRANSITIONS: DISSOLVES: MÉLIÈS, 1902
![Page 15: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
MULTI-SCENE FILMS 1: TRANSITIONS: STRAIGHT CUTS: WILLIAMSON, “CHASE FILMS,” 1901
![Page 16: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
MULTI-SCENE FILMS 1: TRANSITIONS: VERTICAL WIPE: G.A. SMITH, “MARY JANE MISHAP,” 1903
![Page 17: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
MULTIPLE SCENES 1: TRANSITIONS: PULL FOCUS: G.A. SMITH, 1900
![Page 18: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
MULTI-SCENE FILMS 2: CUT-INS, MASKING, POINT-OF-VIEW [P.O.V] SHOTS:
G.A. SMITH, 1900
![Page 19: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
MORE MASKING, CUT-INS, AND P.O.V. SHOTS:
G.A. SMITH: “AS SEEN THROUGH A TELESCOPE,” 1900
![Page 20: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
MORE MASKING, CUT-INS, AND P.O.V. SHOTS:PATHÉ FRÈRES, “PEEPING TOM,” 1901
![Page 21: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 2: CAMERA REPOSITIONING: G.A. SMITH, “THE SICK
KITTEN” 1903
![Page 22: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 2: CAMERA REPOSITIONING: G.A. SMITH,”MARY JANE’S MISHAP”
![Page 23: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 3:• Multi-scene films (cont.)– Screen direction• Ex: Méliès: “A Trip to the Moon” 1902
– Mental subjectivity (rendering interiority)• Dreaming and visions
– Set within a set» Ex: Zecca: “History of a Crime” 1901
– Photographic superimposition» Ex: Porter: “Life of an American Fireman” 1903» Ex: “Mary Jane’s Mishap” 1903
– Perceptual subjectivity (creating ‘sensual impact’)• Ex: Hepworth: “How it feels to be run over” 1900
![Page 24: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 3: SCREEN DIRECTION: MÉLIÈS, 1902
![Page 25: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 3: DREAMINGSET WITHIN A SET: “HISTORY OF A CRIME”
![Page 26: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 3: DREAMINGPHOTOGRAPHIC SUPERIMPOSITION: “LIFE OF AN AMERICAN
FIREMAN”
![Page 27: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 3: VISIONSSUPERIMPOSITION: “MARY JANE’S MISHAP”
![Page 28: Early Cinema](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062501/5681649f550346895dd6890a/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 3: VISIONSSUPERIMPOSITION: “THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY” 1903