COM 320: History of the Moving Image

1. COM 320: History of the Moving Image French Impressionism 1918-1929

2. Defining Characteristics • 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 (photogenie) . . . Cinema is a synthesis of the other arts” (architecture, painting, sculpture, music, poetry, dance)

3. Form & Style: Camera work most important • Narrative structure—personal actions and psychology Abel Gance, Napoleon, 1927 Jean Epstein, Coeur fidele, 1923

4. Form & Style: Camera work most important • Narrative structure—personal actions and psychology Germaine Dulac, The Smiling Madame Beudet, 1922

5. Form & Style: Camera work most important • Narrative structure—personal actions and psychology • Photogenie – “that quality which distinguishes a film shot from the original object photographed”

6. Photogenie--There are parallels in French Imp painting, e.g.: Frederick Carl Frieseke, Lady in a Garden, 1912

7. Photogenie--There are parallels in French Imp painting, e.g.: Mary Cassatt, Lydia Leaning on Her Arms, 1879 Claude Monet, one of his Water Lilies series, c. 1915

8. Form & Style: Camera work most important • Narrative structure—personal actions and psychology • Photogenie – “that quality which distinguishes a film shot from the original object photographed” • Optical devices often used to do this Triptych from Abel Gance’s Napoleon

9. Form & Style: Camera work most important • Narrative structure—personal actions and psychology • Photogenie – “that quality which distinguishes a film shot from the original object photographed” • Optical devices often used to do this Abel Gance, Napoleon, 1927 Abel Gance, La Roue, 1922

10. Form & Style: Camera work most important • Narrative structure—personal actions and psychology • Photogenie – “that quality which distinguishes a film shot from the original object photographed” • Optical devices often used to do this Jean Epstein, Coeur fidele, 1923

11. Form & Style: Camera work most important • Narrative structure—personal actions and psychology • Photogenie – “that quality which distinguishes a film shot from the original object photographed” • Optical devices often used to do this • “Visual rhythm” of fast cutting • Note examples from Abel Gance: The Charm of Dynamite

12. Form & Style: Camera work most important • Narrative structure—personal actions and psychology • Photogenie – “that quality which distinguishes a film shot from the original object photographed” • Optical devices often used to do this • “Visual rhythm” of fast cutting • Location shooting Abel Gance, J’Accuse, 1919

13. Background • In a commercial film context • French film in crisis after WWI • France swamped with German and U.S. films • Small French companies willing to experiment

14. Other Film Types in that Nation at that Time • Genre films • Fantasy (e.g., Rene Clair) Rene Clair, Le Fantôme du Moulin Rouge, 1924

15. Other Film Types in that Nation at that Time • Genre films • Fantasy (e.g., Rene Clair) • Comedy (e.g., Max Linder) Max Linder

16. Importance of the Movement • Influential in style • Not very important in terms of $$ (box office)

17. Important Practitioners • Abel Gance (1889-1981) Abel Gance, Napoleon, 1927

18. Important Practitioners • Jean Epstein (1897-1953) Jean Epstein, Coeur fidele, 1923

19. Important Practitioners • Germaine Dulac (1882-1942) Germaine Dulac, The Smiling Madame Beudet, 1922

20. The Death of the Movement • The movement’s own success led to a diffusion of its techniques, and a lessening of its impact • French Impressionist filmmakers lost their independence with the introduction of sound ($$)

21. Current Influences & Applications • Subjectivity, especially in “indie” films • e.g., films of Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho, Milk)

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