There Are Different Types of Histories to Film

8/8/2019 There Are Different Types of Histories to Film

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There are different types of histories to film, not just one approach, all with

different perspectives. Each progress through film history doesnt just adopt one

of these approaches but can relate to numeral.

These different histories can categorize into biographical history, technological

history and social, aesthetic, economic, cultural and political history. There are

many other histories you can look into more depth, which helps the progress o f

film here today, such as ownership, authorship theory and important dates.

Chronology is important, as understanding general film history plays a huge part

in the construction of film itself. To find out what is exactly film history, what

does film history claim to study and approaches historians take during their

work.1

Film history means studying film from a particular perspective and with

particular goals in mind, from this we can examine the development of film and

how it has become the way it has today, being influenced by many different

areas.

We look at significant dates that have encouraged each movement and

development as well as the negatives, the pressures cinema has had from society

by looking at film as a wider subject. Each history crosses each others path at

some point and we will be looking at this closer later on, especially how the

pressures affect the balance between the artistic approaches while still trying to

achieve entertainment.

The reason we study theold history, is to understand the new history as well.

David Broadwell also states this:

..old films provide the same sorts of insights that we get from watching

contemporary moviessome are documents of everyday existence or of

1Allen, R and Gomery D (1985). Film History, Theory and Practice. New York:McGraw-Hill. p3.


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extraordinary historical events that continue to reverberate in our times in our

times2

The first type of history to mention would be the Aesthetic history, which in

simple terms it the artistic overlook of the films, and looking into who influences

what choices. Allen and Gomery support this:

until fairly recently film theory has been almost exclusively aesthetic in

orientation, attempting to determine the unique properties of film as art, define

the types of art film might produce and prescribe (in some cases) how the film

maker might realize films artistic potential 3

Aesthetic tradition be in the work of auteur rather than genre films, or they a

situated within the paradigm of art cinema than mainstream or commercialcinema4

Singing In the Rain (1952) , directed by (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly) reflects

the struggles between the art and the entertainment, the choices Hollywood

have to make between being pressurised into following the changes to entertain,

such as introduction of sound but also how it changes the whole aspect of acting

and the stress of the artistic values, how they had to change with the movement,

still having to succeed in the main point of entertainment.

Take the shot of the art school for example, it is in the background but it could be

seen to represent the balance between the art and the entertainment.

The film also shows us how Hollywood actually works in the sense of the artistic

side, how the camera, fan and all staging are shown to the audience. This kills the

Hollywood magic in a sense, yet as the dance slowly progresses gains it back.

2 Broadwell, D. David Broadwell. Available: david broadwell

http://www.davidbordwell.net/essays/doing.php. Last accessed

3Allen, R and Gomery D (1985). Film History, Theory and Practice. New York:

McGraw-Hill. P4.

4Chapman J, Glancy M, and Harper S (2007). The New Film History. Basingstoke:

Palgrave Macmillan. p2.


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Many historians take aesthetic history as an identity of the art, like Singing In

the Rain where the cinematography is shown and how they achieve it by

deliberately being shown in the clip I mentioned above.

James Chapman comments:

film they said should not copy reality but change it so that it is distinct from

nature or visible reality.5

The art of film can range from anything designed by the artists of the creation,

these include, in the case of cinema, editing, camera work, sound and misce-en-

scene p69 film history

The art in film doesnt have to be just what you see, but what you hear. Music is a

big movement in history, changing from era to era. These are influenced in films

also, identifying the years or intended. This leads me on to talk about creators

influencing the next; such as yesterday influencing us today.

One aesthetic development provides the impetus for the next as the aesthetic

potential of the medium is realized by one filmmaker after another. 6

Film as history has been influenced not just by art alone, but also with the help of

technology, without technology such as effects, and more modern machinery, we

could not design such advanced cinematography and so on. It is also just as

important to the audiences as it is to the filmmakers; the audience has

expectations to what a fictional film should look and sound like, relating to

escapism.

As Aesthetic film history is seen as an art form, it is hard to praise individuals for

the success, as all roles such as cinematographer, director, cameraman etc. are all

equally responsible for the finished artistic outcome. 7

5Chapman J, Glancy M, and Harper S (2007). The New Film History. Basingstoke:

Palgrave Macmillan. P58


McGraw-Hill. P73.


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Slowly moving on to technical issues, this leads me on to technological history of

film. Technology as stated before, already shows us how the histories work

together, and how important it is we look at different approaches, to see how

movements, looking from different perspectives construct history.

Technology is a history, which opened the beginning of film, without a basic

camera and projector there would be no film at all. Originally the material used

for films were very weak, as being just simple prints, were prone to get burned

or damaged. This means that much material has been lost, but as the

development takes shape throughout years, stronger methods are used, whichalso develops the quality of film itself. 8

Singing In The Rain demonstrates the development of technology clearly; it

shows us that Hollywood is too reliant on t echnology and dependant on keeping

up with the change and pressures from the next modern machinery. When sound

is introduced it raised complications of being a lot more skilful in performance,

which again relates back to the Aesthetic history approach.

the study of origins and development of the technology that makes possible the

creation and presentation of movies.9

Singing in the rain not only showed the development behind scenes through film,

but the audiences reactions to the modern technology, how they reacted and the

complications they had to face.


McGraw-Hill. P53.

8Allen, R and Gomery D (1985). Film History, Theory and Practice . New York:

McGraw-Hill. P2.8

Chapman J, Glancy M, and Harper S (2007). The New Film History. Basingstoke:

Palgrave Macmillan. P87.


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Film has been through many technical developments throughout eras, starting

from the motion picture camera, which was still frames of images, shown in

rapid animation. Leading onto the printer, which exposed film to positive

images, moving to the projector, using light to transfer the image.The projector

giving an illusion of life like movement creating a sense of realism.

The start of these projectors entered a new era for modern technology, even

now, as it is still progressing, we have managed to create surround sound,

widescreen and 3D among others.10

1920 was when sound actually took place, and this was a start to many other

ideas and issues that filmmakers would have to overcome. Firms then thought

about long run profits, this meant technological change became highly involved

in economic decision-making. 11

The innovation stage of technological change involves a firm altering its past

methods of production, distribution and or marketing because it has determined

that the adoption of the invention will result in greater long term profits12

Another approach we can take is Economical film history; this includes

production companies and the film industry.

From 1917 to 1934 there was the rise of studio production while the

consolidation was between 1934 and 1934 with the collapse of studio

production following from 19 48.

The main Hollywood studios to appear in the rise, was Paramount, Fox, Warner

brothers, Universal and MGM.


McGraw-Hill. P109.11

Allen, R and Gomery D (1985). Film History, Theory and Practice. New York:

McGraw-Hill. 114.12


McGraw-Hill. P114.


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They had 3 main structures of duties, these were production, and this is the

finished film recorded. Production, which is selling the mater ial and exhibition,

this is displaying the film to public.

Soon after world war two, the foundations of the old studio system changed, this

is when television was introduced.

Until 1948 the famous Hollywood production companies distributed and

exhibited motion pictures. Verticalintegration13

In 1930s few feature films were made outside the United States outside

Hollywood studio.

Society effects almost everything in history, as one of the historical approaches,

Social film history, you can imagine what effect it has had on film, which is

constantly involving society everyday.

First of all I will discuss how Social History combines with Aesthetic Film history.

Film tries to portray reality in some cases, though it cannot directly mirror social

reality directly. This does however tell the viewer, the cultural conditions that

occurred in the era filmed or that the film is trying to portray.

..Notstraightforward mirrors of social reality they do, never the less reveal

something about the cultural conditions that produced them and attracted

audiences to them 14

Society can also affect film on more of a personal level, take the depression era

for example, films were produced to relate to the audience as a sense of

escapism. This instantly reflects on the history and the films produced in the

past.

Films, even now are used for educational purposes, as it mirrors certain events,which have happened, this is used for development in society itself.

13 Allen, R and Gomery D (1985). Film History, Theory and Practice. New York:


Chapman J, Glancy M, and Harper S (2007). The New Film History. Basingstoke:

Palgrave Macmillan. P4.


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Not only does it effect the audience, and society as a whole depending on what

films are made, it can influence the film makers themselves. This can be from

events which have influenced their tastes, and premises they develop, to

economical problems such as money issues, and states of the production

Filmmakers are members of society, and as such, are no less subject to social

pressures and norms then anyone else.15

..how Hollywood films might be used to provide insights into social, political and

economical impact of the cold war 16

Revisiting Singing in the Rain, certain scenes represent the social pressure on the

film industry. For a start it is highly important that we look a t cinema as a society

as whole, how important the audience is to the success of the movies.

Moving on from social issues influencing the filmmakers, lets think about how

filmmakers influence society. A big development through film has been stardom.

Singing in the Rain shows this through, the public not knowing what the female

main character sounds like, only caring that she is well known and famous.

Today films can be identified through stars which have been successful in the

past, sometimes relating to certain genres.

Singing in the rain, stardom, and famous music, is a narrative itself already

based on the singing. Makes a knowing statement about Hollywood and the

importance of history and the state in 1950s and shows pros and cons of

Hollywood through out .

Singing in the rain is a Paradox set in late 1920s filmed on 1950s, which we can

identify from the colours and shots used. This is a perfect example of the

statement, how history effects the next movement.

This film also involves society class, having one scene, which they obviously

show working class and non-working class through actions and props.



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www.h-net.org/reviews/shavrev.php?id=23770 - Friday 12/11/10 16.06


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Stars do not reflect society in some magical but straightforward way; rather,

there embody in their images certain paradoxes or contradictions inherent in the

larger social formation.17

that the movies somehow reflect the desires, needs fears and aspirations of

society at a given time.18

So overall examining different approaches from different perspectives can be

extremely important. Each one of these histories explains to us how film has

been influenced, and how many different ways it can be done .

Each approach plays an equally important part, and crosses paths with each

other through many movements. If anything each one of the histories cannot

exist without the other. Every significant movement and date has influenced the

one after, resulting in what we have today. Every person is influenced by

someone elses work and history works in the same way as well as being guided

by situations around you.

This sort of inventory helps us understand that there is not one history of film

but many possible histories, each adopting different perspectives. 19

17 Allen, R and Gomery D (1985). Film History, Theory and Practice. New York:




http://www.davidbordwell.net/essays/doing.php. Last accessed


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There Are Different Types of Histories to Film