Unit 11: Assignment 2

Faustina Starrett
Conor Mc Goldrick

Film theory is an academic discipline that aims to explore the essence of

the cinema and provides conceptual frameworks for understanding film's
relationship to reality, the other arts, individual viewers, and society at
large. There are many different film theories such as Marxism, National
Cinema and Psychoanalytic. When watching films different people may
view that movie as a different theory depending on their personal view.

What are they?

Marxism is a method of societal analysis that
focuses on class relations and societal conflict
that uses materialist interpretation of historical
development and a dialectical view of social
transformation.
Marxist film theory came from the ideas of Karl
Marx and have been represented in many
genres ranging from documentary to fictional
dramas. The Marxist theories of socialism,
communism, class struggle, ideology and
political economy influenced early Soviet-era
filmmakers such as Dziga Vertov and Sergei
Eisenstein. Also Marxs principal work has all
been represented in film, as subjects in there
own right. As Karl Marx says Society does not
consist of individuals but expresses the sum of
interrelations, the relations within which these individuals stand1. I
believe this quote sums up Marxism.
Marxist Directors

Ken Loach
Mike Leigh
Jean Luc Godard

National cinema is a term used in film theory and film criticism to describe
the films associated with a specific country. Although there is little
relatively written on theories of national cinema it has an irrefutably
important role in globalization.
A film may be considered to be national cinema of a country based on a
number of factors, such as the country that provided the financing for the
1 http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/k/karl_marx.html

Unit 11: Assignment 2

Faustina Starrett
Conor Mc Goldrick

film, the language spoken in the film, the nationalities or dress of the
characters, and the music, setting or cultural elements present in the film.

Psychoanalytic film theory, despite its relatively late development, has

become one of the most widely practiced theoretical approaches to
cinema studies today. This is thanks to the fact that psychoanalysis and
film technology were born in the same era, and essentially grew up
together.
Psychoanalytic film theory unmasks the psychic mechanisms functioning
in the unconscious of the filmmakers, the audience, the characters, and
specific instances of cinematic discourse. It is such a difficult theory to
understand as Noam Chomsky says, I do not think psychoanalysis has a
scientific basis. If we cant explain why a cockroach decides to turn left,
how can we explain why a human being decides to do something?2 I
think this shows how diverse this theory is.

Similarities
When it comes to Marxism and Psychoanalysis and National cinema and
Psychoanalysis there are not many similarities as Marxism focuses on
social issues and National cinema focuses on a country and its traditions.
However when it comes to Marxism and National cinema there are some
differences such as directors, for example Ken Loach is a director who
does both film theories like in his film tickets where he focuses on Marxism
but his other films like The Wind that Shakes the Barley can be seen as
both Marxism and also National cinema. Directors like Ken loach are why
some people see certain films in different ways.

Auteurs in these Theories

An auteur is a theory of filmmaking in which the director is considered to
be the primary creative force behind the film. It began in France during
World War II. An Auteur can be found in all types of cinema.
A Marxist auteur would be someone like Ken Loach even though he
wouldnt necessarily consider himself one, although his work would make
some believe he is as he focuses on social issues like homelessness and
labour rights in his films. Other Marxist auteur would be directors like Mike
Leigh
2 http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/psychoanalysis.html

Unit 11: Assignment 2

Faustina Starrett
Conor Mc Goldrick

A National Cinema auteur would also be someone like Ken Loach as a lot
of his films are based on a nation and its traditions and history. This is
evident in movies like The Wind that Shakes the Barley.
A psychoanalytical auteur would be a director like Alfred Hitchcock
because he would always put his stamp on a film. His style would be
instantly recognizable to an audience by the way he makes the camera
move in his films and how he had scenes with no dialogue.

Although not everyone would agree with the auteur theory as Alan Parker
says, I always argued against the auteur theory; films are a collaborative
art form. Ive had some fantastically good people help me make the
movies3.

Usefulness of these Theories

These three film theories are very useful when wider film readings, as I
believe they all have a place in film and will have a place in film for a long
time to come.
Marxism is very useful to wider film readings because a lot of films focus
on Marxist issues such as social issues like class relations, social conflict
etc. Without Marxist theory these films would not really fall under any
other film theory. This would make Marxism important to film readings.
Also National cinema is very important and useful to wider film readings
because it shows a countrys cultural and traditions and no other film
theory would focus on that aspect whereas national cinema gives the
audience an insight to what a country is like and what they wear, eat etc.
Finally psychoanalytic film theory is very useful and important to wider
film readings as a large number of films would fall under this and nothing
else and psychoanalytic film theory would have a huge following and this
would make it extremely important to film readings and it will be about for
a long time because it is such a useful reading.

In conclusion of my work I do believe that the Marxist theory, National

cinema and psychoanalysis are all extremely important and useful to
wider film readings as I believe that without these film theories a lot of
different films would not fall under any category as a lot of films do focus
specifically on these film theories. Also I believe that these theories will be
about for a long time to come as they are extremely important to the
3 http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alanparker504583.html

Unit 11: Assignment 2

Faustina Starrett
Conor Mc Goldrick

wider film readings and help categorize films. Finally I believe that these
film theories are unique in their own right.

Bibliography
Marxist theory video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPeY-x4VQ00

Auteur theory video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWzPIuXUwpI

Auteur Films
https://mubi.com/lists/the-auteurs-50-best-films-of-the-decade