Formalist film theory

Formalist film theory is an approach to film theory that is focused on the formal or technical elements of a film: i.e., the lighting, scoring, sound and set design, use of color, shot composition, and editing. This approach was proposed by Hugo Münsterberg, Rudolf Arnheim, Sergei Eisenstein, and Béla Balázs.^[1] Today, formalist film theory is a recognized approach in film studies.

Formalism in ideological approaches

Classical Hollywood cinema

Classical Hollywood cinema uses a style referred to as the institutional mode of representation: continuity editing, massive coverage, three-point lighting, "mood" music, and dissolves. The socio-economic ideological explanation for this is style involves Hollywood's desire to monetarily profit and appeal to ticket-buyers.^[2]

Film noir

Film noir is marked by lower production values, darker images, under lighting, location shooting, and general nihilism. This is largely due to the pessimistic outlook filmmakers and filmgoers expressed during the war and post-war years. In the following decades, many German Expressionists^[3] immigrated to America. Their stylized lighting effects and themes of disillusionment due to the war left an impact on Film noir and classical Hollywood films.^[4]

Notes

^ Dudley Andrew, The Major Film Theories: An Introduction, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 1976, Part I.
^ Bordwell, David. "On The History Of Film Style" (PDF). David Bordwell's website on cinema. pp. 144–148. ISBN 978-0-9832440-3-5. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 5, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
^ Phillips, Gene D. (2012). Out of the Shadows: Expanding the Canon of Classic Film Noir. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-8189-1.
^ Hunt, Kristin (May 21, 2020). "How Fritz Lang's Flight from Nazi Germany Shaped Hollywood". Daily.JStor. JSTOR. Retrieved June 21, 2024.

References

Bordwell, David, Film Art: An Introduction; McGraw-Hill; 7th edition (June 2003).
Braudy, Leo, ed., Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings; Oxford University Press; 6th edition (March 2004).
Gianetti, Louis, Understanding Movies; Prentice Hall; 10th edition (March 2004)

[1] Dudley Andrew, The Major Film Theories: An Introduction, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 1976, Part I.

[2] Bordwell, David. "On The History Of Film Style" (PDF). David Bordwell's website on cinema. pp. 144–148. ISBN 978-0-9832440-3-5. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 5, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2025.

[3] Phillips, Gene D. (2012). Out of the Shadows: Expanding the Canon of Classic Film Noir. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-8189-1.

[4] Hunt, Kristin (May 21, 2020). "How Fritz Lang's Flight from Nazi Germany Shaped Hollywood". Daily.JStor. JSTOR. Retrieved June 21, 2024.

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v t e Film studies
Approaches	Analytic Cognitive film theory Historical poetics Linguistic film theory Neoformalism Classical Formalist film theory Continental Feminist film theory Film semiotics Marxist film theory Psychoanalytic film theory Screen theory Structuralist film theory Critical methods Auteur theory Schreiber theory
Scholars	David Bordwell Thomas Elsaesser Sergei Eisenstein Colin MacCabe Christian Metz Laura Mulvey Kristin Thompson
Academic journals	Cinema Journal Film Quarterly Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television Journal of Film and Video Journal of Popular Film & Television New Review of Film and Television Studies Screen The Velvet Light Trap Television & New Media