FrenchImpressionism

& Surrealism

(1917-1930)

French Impressionism& Surrealism

• Alternatives to classical Hollywood form.

• Impressionism was a French Avant-Garde film movement that was made by the French Film industry and was profitable.

• Surrealism was made independently of the French system and didn’t prove financially successful.

Impressionism

• In 1915 American films flooded in to the French market.

• By the end of WW1 French Film industry never recovered.

• The Impressionist focused purely on emotion and subjectivity. But their aesthetics didn’t take off as an international success.

• French offered a clear alternative: French Impressionism

Impressionism

• By 1920, cinema in France accepted by upper & middle classes, artistic & scholarly communities

• Established as legitimate subject for criticism & theory

• Artists in other media interested in film• Interested in modernist art

movements• Unlike Soviets, they didn't care

much for politics• Unlike Germans, not so

depressing & pessimistic• In 20s, became more skilled

technically, radical artistically

Impressionism

Goal is to “convey sensations and emotional ‘impressions’ . . . conveying the personal vision of the artist . . . cinema shows us the souls of people and the essence of objects. . . Cinema is a synthesis of the other arts” (architecture, painting, sculpture, music, poetry, dance)

Impressionism

• FRENCH IMPRESSIONISM (1918-28)

• Avant-garde, but largely within industry; artists independent, but had access to studio facilities

• SUBJECT MATTER• Very similar to that of the

Expressionists• Psychological states & emotions,

fantasies & dreams; subjective, flashbacks & manipulation of story time

• These fantasies & dreams not insane or psychotic; characters obsessed with lust, jealousy, love; more eroticism than horror

Impressionism

STYLE

• Style quite different from that of the Germans

• Emphasis on cinematography & editing

• P-O-V shots, superimpositions, soft focus, etc.

• Editing used rhythmically to duplicate & reinforce the emotional states of the characters.

Impressionism

STYLE

• Made up of films that focus mainly on manipulation of the film as image, in through camerawork

• At which point rhythmic and fast paced editing became more widely used.

Impressionism

Films:

Abel Gance - The Napoleon(1927)

Jean Epstein - The Fall of Houses of Usher (1928)

Germaine Dulac - The Smiling Madame Beudet (1922)

Jean Renoir  - Nana (1926)

Louis Delluc  – Critic/Theorist

Impressionism

Louis Delluc : (Critic/Theorist)

• Originally a journalist and literary critic

• Began by writing screenplays

• Tried to get away from drama scenarios and literary adaptations (which dominated the film scene at the time)

• Emphasized symbolic expression and psychological exploration

• Died suddenly in 1924 (at the age of 34)

Impressionism

Impressionism

Impressionism

surrealism

• The Surrealistic Film makers relied on private patronage.

• Screened their works small artist gatherings.

• Films perplexed and shocked audiences.

• Dreams, Subconscious and free association as oppposed to…

• Reason and logic• Overtly anti-narrative• The film tease the audience into

finding absent narrative logic.

surrealism

FRENCH SURREALISM (1924-29)

• Largely outside of the French film industry

• Relied on personal financial resources &/or private patronage

• Films designed to offend audiences

• INFLUENCES ON FRENCH SURREALISM

• Influenced by Surrealism in painting, sculpture, & literature

• Also by DaDa, which was devoted to: Eliminating the "sacred quality" of the artwork Offending the audience

• Also by Freud: symbolism, emphasis on sex & perversions, violence, religion, etc.

surrealism

FRENCH SURREALISM (1924-29)

PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION (no real aesthetics)

• Aggressively anti-narrative

• Constructed their films as dreams

• Designed to create the maximum shock value

• Much of shock value comes from attempt to read them as narratives

surrealism

Films:

Clair - Entracte(19274)

Germaine Dulac - The seashell and the clergyman (1928)

Louis Bunuel  -Un Chien Andalou (1929) Writer- Salvador Dali

David Lynch  - Mallholand Drive (2001) Twin peaks(1990-91)

surrealism

surrealism

surrealism

surrealism

surrealism

surrealism in Films

surrealism in Films

surrealism in Films

surrealism

In 1930’s the movement led by Andre Berton had disbanded.

Individual Surrealistic Artists like Luis Bunuel, Max Ernest and Salvador Dali continued to paint and make films.

Bunuel created films until the 60’s including the discreet charm of the Bourgeoisie.

surrealism

END OF SURREALIST MOVEMENTS

• Sound brought conservatism

• Cost was great, industry didn't want to experiment

• Concentrated on safe, middle-of-the-road narrative films

• Surrealists couldn't get along with other people