How to Study... Cinema and Modernism
"Each art breeds its fanatics. The love that cinema inspired, however, was special. It was born of the sense that cinema was an art unlike any other: quintessentially modern; distinctively accessible; poetic and mysterious and erotic and moral - all at the same time."
- Susan Sontag
You wonder why you can't study Hollywood this term. You have enough of genre study. You're certain that the films by the Farrelly brothers are more enjoyable than D . H . Lawrence's novels. And then you recalled the celluloid versions of "Lady Chatterley's Lover", which you were forbidden to watch when you were young. You managed to include it on your essay, a critical discourse analysis on "Sons and Lovers".
Cinema and Modernism can be daunting, as you'll get the chance to watch and write about the movies that snobs love to talk for hours. If you insist you're not that kind of moviegoer, then you must remember your critical view on Christopher Nolan. (Didn't you call him an overrated filmmaker?) If you think that Ridley Scott should have directed "Interstellar", then you haven't seen "Planet of the Vampires". (Who would have thought that a B film would be an inspiration for "Alien"?) But let's move on.
The list of landmark features in Modernist Cinema isn't long. In fact, it won't take a month to see most of it. But it will force you to get out of your comfort zone. For instance, you don't know much about "Battleship Potemkin" except Brian De Palma's recreation of the stairway shootout scene. Other than that, you have a vague idea of the Revolution of 1905. No problem. You're not the only one. The module will require more than your knowledge of Hollywood. Let's have a look:
In what sense are Luis Buñuel's first two films a reflection on civilization and its discontent? "Un Chien Andalou" (1929) and L'Age d'Or (1930) shocked moviegoers during its initial release. Many violent scenes pandered to their baser instincts, but a discerning viewer would sense the irony. Here was the filmmaker who created a satire on the bourgeoisie, and he happened to be a member of that social class. Buñuel, a native of Calandra, was a rebel. Agree or disagree?
Does Charlie Chaplin's optimism of the will cancel out the pessimism of his intellectual analysis of modern times? Arguably the greatest comedian in the history of cinema was the epitome of a rags-to-riches story. But some suspected a heart of stone. "Monsieur Verdoux" (1947) could have been the greatest black comedy, if not for an insensitive remark on the casualties during World War II. And not a few saw his leaning towards Socialism in "Modern Times". No one would sympathize with his decision to leave Hollywood, but they admired his triumph against all odds.
“Triumph of the Will” is a masterpiece of style and editing, which in turn are the very techniques used to manipulate reality and create emotionally effective propaganda. This statement by Marie Saeli might also allude to "Olympia". This documentary, which covered the 1936 Summer Olympics, was a fine piece of work. It wasn't a nod to the Third Reich, but Leni Riefenstahl's shots of the German athletes would remind of Renaissance art. And let's not be surprised at the training of nude (German) athletes. (It was pure propaganda.) Her angular shots of the competitors at the Olympiastadion would envy other filmmakers, only to forget they weren't from other nations. But Fräulein Riefenstahl did her job well.
Do you feel good about your cinematic abilities? If you do, then let's proceed to the next item. Discuss the aesthetics and politics of cinematic modernism with reference to two or more films. You have a week to think it over.
