French New Wave – A film movement beginning in the late 50s and throughout the 60s that rose to popularity in Paris. It saw directors obtain full creative control of their work, making more experimental films then following traditional conventions of filmmaking.

Specific stylist and structural elements – These films countered tradition by including the likes of long tracking shots, fourth wall breaks, the breaking of the 180 degree rule, and existential themes. Discontinuity editing, such as jump cuts and freeze frames, was common at this time.

Directors and films that influenced Arthur Penn – François Truffaut (The 400 Blows) and Jean-Luc Godard (Breathless) both were approached during the production of the film.

The French New Wave was a movement by French filmmakers when they rejected the traditional conventions during the late 1950s, partially because of their lack of budget in post WW2 France. They opted for a new, more experimental editing/visual style.

Stylistic/structural elements:

• discontinuity, involving:

• jump cuts
• freeze frames
• non-diegetic sounds
• repetition of scenes/shots
• abrupt cutting
• (basically any violation of the continuity rules)

• disjunctive editing, which makes itself visible to the audience compared to the invisible style of editing.

• Breaking the 180degree camera rule
• rapid changes in scenes
• long tracking shots

These techniques are used to make the audience aware that they are watching a film, to wake them up.

Films/directors that inspired Arthur Penn:

This Film, Breathless (1960) directed by Jean-Luc Godard heavily inspired Arthur Penn.

Casablanca uses continuity editing to give a steady flow to the narrative an example being the scene with the letters of transport

shot 1: MCU eye level shot to show who the scene as about. with the main character being centre of the screen

shot 2: MCU shot of man running out of door. he is blurred as he is moving fast

shot 3: low angle close up to show the mans emotion. the use of a low angle shot shows he’s scared

shot 4; low angle medium shot to capture the man firing his gun

shot 5: eye level medium close up shot. the man is looking up at rick showing that he has the status and authority in this scen. the man is asking rick for help

shot 6: a medium close up eye level shot to show the man getting taken away by the authorities

French New Wave –

The ‘French New Wave’ was a French art film movement that came about in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. The movement stemmed away from the traditional film making, but instead used experimentation and creative freedom, involving some aspects of a spirit of iconoclasm. Films focused on personal, experimental and unconventional storytelling.

What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French New Wave Films?

The stylistic elements of the ‘French New Wave’ consisted of a mix of realism, subjectivity and authorial commentary: these created a sense ambiguity within the films that made the viewers question things that are not answered within the film.

The structural elements consisted of fragmented, discontinuous editing were no smooth flows between shots were edited together. This creates a disruption between shots therefore forming a ‘Jump cut’. Other structural elements consisted of long takes and Freeze frames, these were used to break the immersion of the film to ensure a viewer isn’t just watching a film to turn off, but to view it for artistic purpose.

Which directors and films from the French New Wave influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde? Why do you think this is the case?

Breathless, made in 1960 was directed Jean-Luc Godard. This film was apart of the French New Wave as its plot was about a petty thief falling in love with a journalist.

The 400 Blows, made in 1959, was directed by François Truffaut. This was about a Parisian boy surrounded by inconsiderate adults and neglectful parents. Forming a plan to runaway with his friend, this gets him into more trouble with unsympathetic authority figures. This would go onto inspire other film directors, with the most recent being Shane Meadows, where his ending to ‘this is England’ is reminiscent to the ending of the 400 blows.

The French new wave is a French art movement that emerged in the late 1950’s. It rejected traditional film making conventions in favour of experimentation and a spirit of iconoclasm.

There is elements of realism, subjectivity, and authorial commentary

Arthur Penn was inspired by French new wave directors like Jean-Luc Goadard and Francois Truffaut. I think this was the case because he wished to change the style of films at the time.

French new wave is a film movement from France in the 1950-1970 rejecting traditional filmmaking with more creative freedom for individual directors making more experimental films with different editing and visual styles.

French new wave films experiment with editing using long shots and discontinuous editing. Realism and commentary was also played around with within French new wave films.

Many French directors like Jean-Luc Goadard and Francois Truffaut inspired Arthur Penn to create Bonne and Clyde inspired by the style and sense of freedom from French filmmaking.

What is meant by the term ‘New Hollywood’?

The term ‘New Hollywood’ stems from cinema in the mid to late 60s up until the late 90’s were films, by a new generation of directors reflecting a more broader innovation by covering topics such as political and cultural conflicts at large within America’s culture. Overall the control over films moved over from the studio towards the director to allow more creative freedoms. This came out of such events as the ‘Paramount decision’ where the court ordered a case to decide the fate of film studios owning their own theatres and holding exclusive rights on which theatres would show their own films.

Name some of the films, directors ands stars from this period.

Apocalypse Now, – 1979, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Is a well known New Hollywood film that challenged the morality of the Vietnam War. It starred well known actors such as Martin Sheen, Harrison ford and Lauren Fishburne.

Taxi Driver – 1976, directed by Martin Scorsese, Is one of Scorsese’s famous films about an ex-Vietnam vet who tries to save an underage prostitute from her pimp. It includes a well known actors such as Robert De Niro.

JAWS – 1975, directed by Steven Spielberg, is about a large white shark that fatally attacks swimmer’s, to get rid of it a sheriff teams up with a crew to hunt it down. This starred a famous actor, such as Roy Scheider.

What events were taking place in America around the period identified as the New Hollywood era of cinema?

During the period of the 50s up until the late 70s the US were involved in numerous events. Many of these centred around the battle of political ideology of capitalism VS Communism or social injustice:

• The Korean war – after the second world war, The US and other capitalist nations fought with the south Koreans against the communist china backed north Koreans.
• The Vietnam war, which spanned from 1955 to 1975, saw the US fight against the communist Vietnamese, backed by the USSR, this further goes to show the battle of ideology’s that soon became unpopular socially back home in the US as the death toll of Americans to prove which political ideology is better became unpopular after peace protests started to rise in numbers.
• The civil rights movement, took place throughout the 50s, which saw people of colour protest at the falsehoods of their rights and discrimination brought under laws such as segregation. The main event surrounding this can seen later on with Martin Luther King junior, giving his speech on the matter, this was supported by a quarter of million of people who attended his speech in Washington.

The Second World War:

During the release of Casablanca, it was both set and made in the time period of the Second World War. Only being a year into the conflict, after the events of pearl harbour on December 7th 1941 where the US were surprise attacked at a naval base in Hawaii. The US joined the allied forces of Great Britain and Canada to fight against both Nazi Germany and the imperialist empire, Japan.

Due to the sudden attack on American people, many young and old men fit for fighting signed up to join the US forces. This can shown through Casablanca as towards the end of the film, Rick can be seen to show his contribution as an American to the war effort by sending resistance members, Ilsa and Victor to the United States to provide vital information to win the war.

Prior to this, on the 25th of June, 1940 France had fell to might of Nazi Germanys collected and modernised tactics. During the Nazis control over France, it was split into parts: the Nazi occupied North and the Vichy south, where the french government was allowed to remain but regulated and puppeted by Germany. Including the nation itself, its territories overseas were placed under german control. This included Morocco which at the time was under french control and wasn’t a country like today.

With the film ‘Casablanca’ named and set after a city in Morocco it would be impossible to have a locational film there under the circumstances of the War. This meant that filming of Casablanca was to be done in sets or in familiar locations in the deserts of Burbank, California.

Dialogue –

“I stick my neck out for nobody” – This use of dialogue creates an insider to the type of character rick is early on in the film, it isn’t until having rekindle the love he has for Ilsa he changes from his cynical nature to that of a Caring person. This can be proven with his reoccurring line ‘Here’s looking at you, kid’ being said whenever he is in a happy mental state.

Underscoring –

Underscoring is used to establish a characters presence in Casablanca. This is best shown in the scene where Rick sees Ilsa. Further in the film we come to understand the significance of the dramatic score used to mark her presence as he is shown to be her past lover.

Sound Motif –

The sound of a piano is associated to Ricks café, this is because whenever a scene inside the bar is shown, the sound of music coming from Sam’s piano is always associated to it.

Synchronous Music –

Synchronous sound can be heard with the plane to Lisbon for example, When the sound of a plane engine is heard by the characters, Rick and Ilsa the next shot is of its origin as a planes propellers start to spin.

Sound Mixing (Atmos/Foley) –

Sound mixing, also known as Foley sound can be found mainly in the scenes of Ricks café. With the clinks of glasses being heard in the background during dialogue, it creates an immersive atmosphere to the scenes location.

Representation:

In terms of historical context, the ideology of how these different groups are represented shows a lot about of how people may of viewed things back then.

Women –

Women in Casablanca, Such as Ilsa, the past love-interest Rick kicks out and the losing gamblers pleading wife are all represented as being almost like accessories to the men, being clung onto or holding onto the men’s arms whilst having decisions made for them. This is best shown in the scene where Ilsa is lovingly clinging to Rick, here she is heard to say “your going to have to do the thinking for both of us”. This in a modern viewpoint is a very patriarchal representation of how women are seen. However during the 1930’s and up until the early 1940’s, Women were often unemployed, having their usual role being in the home, taking care of it and providing for their families, this changed however, as women eventually went to work in factories due to lack of men working because of the war.

Men –

Men in Casablanca are represented as calm and collected, Men such as Victor Lazlo as well as Rick resemble this with their usual expressionless close-ups. Furthermore, Men are shown to be seen to be main decision makers, This can be shown with Rick arranging for Ilsa’s escape with Victor Lazlo. Men can also be shown to be vulnerable, this breaks the usual stereotype as Men in that day were never usually seen to express their emotions. This is shown in the scene where Rick sadly sits at his Bar with tears almost swelling in his eyes as he talks about Ilsa’s return into his life after she had ran away.

Authority Figures –

Authority Figures in Casablanca are represented as mix between corrupt and some signs of fairness. An example of this Mix is Captain Louis Renault, he even admits he is corrupt in a scene where is speaking to rick and in another scene where he closes Ricks Café for gambling just before taking his earning from when he had just been previously playing. Abiding by both Nazi influence and his own, he often helps Rick but additionally betrays him such as reporting the escape of Victor Lazlo. Other representations of Authority figures can be seen with the cruel dictating Nazis, Characters such as Major Strasser represent this as he tries to find ways to arrest Victor Lazlo for his involvement with rebellion activities to the Nazis regime in other European countries.

People of Colour –

People of Colour in Casablanca are represented as either background characters to the setting of Morocco, where people of colour are born there or as an accompanying protagonist to Rick. This can be exampled through Sammy, Ricks Piano player who had travelled with him from France to Morocco. Compared to the society of time where people of colour where still segregated in American, this usage of a black actor as a key part in the story, it shows an early sign of progression in society. This can also be said to act as a form of propaganda, as during the second world war laws on segregation in the US armed forces where lowered so that more men could help in the war effort, Black and white soldiers fought together against the enemy and shared the same equipment, facilities, etc.

Americans –

Americans in Casablanca are represented as divided getting involved with the war, this is shown with the only American, Rick. EX-patriated from his country after becoming stuck in Nazi occupied French-Morocco, he has become distant with his country and the War after losing his true love, Ilsa. Eventually helping in the war effort by helping her and her husband escape to Lisbon. This can been to be a propaganda representation of Americans as during the films release, the Americans involvement with the war was still new. To convince the public to help in the war effort, seeing a fellow countrymen take part would act as good encouragement.

Europeans –

Europeans in Casablanca are represented as either collaborators with the Nazis, such as the Vichy French policemen or Italians who formed the axis with the Germans during the second world war. Other Europeans, like Victor Lazlo, who is Czechoslovakian represent the resistance to the nazis. This could possibly stem from their early occupation dated pre-war showing how they are the most likely to want to fight against the nazis. Obviously, germans in this film are represented as the enemy, the divide in between the main characters and the point of conflict within the storyline.