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A P P R O A C H E S T OP O P U L A R F I L M
C R I T I C A L F R A M E W O R K S
Y O U R C R I T I C A L S T U D Y
One focus film
Two related films
One critical framework
I T ’ S A T O O L K I T…what is a critical framework?
A S E T O F C R I T I C A L T O O L S W I T H W H I C H T O “ U N PA C K ” T H E M E A N I N G S C O N TA I N E D W I T H I N A F I L M
Y O U C A N U S E O N E O F T H E F O L L O W I N G A P P R O A C H E S …
S TA R / P E R F O R M E R S T U D I E S G E N R E T H E O R Y A U T E U R T H E O RY
S O C I A L P O L I T I C A LCULTURALS T U D I E S G E N D E R I S S U E S E T H N I C I T Y I N S T I T U T I O N T E C H N O L O G Y
S TA R / P E R F O R M E R
Stars are central to the concerns of both the film
industry and the audience
stars can be ideological images that communicate dominant
values
T H E S TA R C O M M U TAT I O N T E S T
does the meaning of a film change with a different star in the main role?
stars in context: not just their films, but their publicity materials and
other media texts
stars are objects of desire – audiences view films to complete
the puzzle of the star’s image
P R E T E N D I N G R E S E M B L I N G I M I TA T I N G C O P Y I N G
D E V O T I O N
genre theory
Similarity and Difference
Genre refers to groups of texts which share a pattern of
similarity and difference.
Are genres “out there” in the world, or do they get defined by critics?
The pleasure for the audience often lies in the experience of difference within the similarity (or vice versa!).
The most important aspect of genre is this relationship between media institutions, texts, and audiences.
As an audience, we gain mastery over genre texts by “reading” them — we feel good about doing this
When considering genre, you should think about socio-historical context, ideology & politics, and historical development.
A U T E U R T H E O R Y“ Y O U R C I N E M A I S I N VA L I D ”
film as a form of individual expression
a concern to elevate film as an art form
valuing directors with powerful personalities, because they can make themselves felt through an
industrial process
S O C I A L , P O L I T I C A L & C U LT U R A L S T U D I E S
a cultural studies approach looks at films in their contexts and is
especially interested in the behaviour of the audience
film as a popular art form - reflecting working class experience and values?
film as a means of spreading the social values of the
dominant class?
different audiences have different responses to films
G E N D E R & F I L M
the bechdel test?
the male gaze
cultural resistance
images of masculinity and femininity
E T H I C I T Y & F I L M
representations of people of colour
blaxploitation movies
stereotypes, messages & values
resistance to the dominant culture
I N S T I T U T I O N A L
studios, producers, finance – the economics of the film
industry
T E C H N O L O G I C A L
the use of digital cinematography
the use of CGI
movies made at the time of key technological
developments