FILM AUTEUR

 AUTEUR REVIEW:

 

Explain what is meant by a film auteur?

Auteur is a French word for author. A film auteur is a film director with a profound sense of personalization towards their films and the many aspects of cinematography and film form. They can be the equivalent to a novelist or play director, which usually have certain elements personal to their desire within most of their books or productions. 

 

Explore why Billy Wilder is an auteur?

Of course, Billy Wilder is profoundly known for excellent film making and enthralling his audience, drawing them in so much that they actually forget they are watching a film and in a theatre. Personally, I believe his success is down to the reflection of powerful drives and controversial elements within his films, otherwise not spoken about in day to day American life. Bringing multiple problems faced by society but held under minimal supervision to the screens of America symbolise his personal ideologies, this can be through film form and certain themes represented. Wilder expressed his “director’s artistic vision”, making his films recognizable to his name, including consistent themes and visual cues. Whilst he was an auteur himself, he was infuriated by distinctive stylists such as Hitchcock and dismissed as modernist.  

 

Furthermore, Wilder wrote and directed for the “masses” (although the passive audience may not notice his controversial elements), resulting in a remarkable range of popular and well-crafted films. The technique of using “comedic space” within rather taboo subjects, such as cross-dressing and alcoholism, was successful in manifesting his films to be a pass over of comedy instead of being actually political, in which case could have caused trouble for his name. Wilder exclaiming “if you are going to tell people the truth, be funny or they will kill you”. You could say Wilder was aware of his actions, ultimately risking his career and respect from society as an auteur. 

 

Refer to both films we have studied to offer examples in support of the view that Wilder is an auteur. 

 

Some Like It Hot and Sunset Boulevard both have extremely different themes and discuss majorly different topics, however, Wilder’s unique use of film form express his familiar style to the audience of the production context. Wilder tends to include his own techniques throughout the majority of his films, for example creating melodramas that brought the problem of alcoholism to the American screen and common conversation. Another example that symbolises Wilder as an auteur is the inclusion of ending each film with an iconic line; “Nobody’s perfect!” and “I’m ready for my close up.”. Clearly, Wilder enjoys ending his movies on a rather memorable quote that would be repeated throughout cities outside of the theatre, establishing his popularity. Another significant example that supports the view of Wilder being an auteur is his choice have strong female leads; Sugar and Norma are both extremely unique individuals, with a powerful and intense femininity. Regarding the production context of the time, Wilder countertypeed common perspectives of woman with the eccentric Norma Desmond; the character truly emphasised the “independence of woman” by presenting wealth and dominance within the role, especially as she heavily provides Joe with many luxuries that he would not be able to purchase himself (camel suits and a tuxedo). Wilder definitely expressed a more liberal view of society, his inclusion of controversial topics while still complying to the Hays Code allowed his name to become widely known around America, by sustaining comedic space within his films he passed the legislations of the then current rules of film and appealed to a variety of audiences. 

 

Both films also analyse films from a female lens, regarding music and acting, in fact the entirety of “the arts” in general. Wilder provided his self-referential viewpoint in the making of films, to look back on his own life and implement his experience into the interesting stories of his characters. Sunset Boulevard being the directors and actors, Some Like It Hot being how he has seen actors and musicians in the industry be rejected and forgotten. This supports Wilder as an auteur as it reflects his unique ability to transform films into a truly personal perspective, for himself and the audience. A rather minor similarity that I noticed within both films is the use of low-key lighting in intense scenes, Wilder is the master of suspense and tension and desperately tries to enhance these emotions within the spectators by creating a powerful visual experience. The low-key lighting in both films being symbolic of mystery and danger, once low lighting had occurred a spectator may feel a sense of foreboding.