FILM STUDIES: CRITICAL ESSAY
Abstract
This paper will discuss Altman’s assertion that “Films with weak generic ties usually depend heavily on internal logic, whereas genre films make heavy use of inter-textual references” (Altman 1999, p.26). The essay focuses on two films, one with strictly generic classification the other that seems more ambiguous in nature to verify the truth in Altman’s statement. The two films are, “Eraserhead” (David Lynch, 1977) and “The great train robbery” (Edwin S. Potter, 1903). David’s, Eraserhead is ambiguous in nature while Potter’s , Great train robbery is generic in nature and can be classified as a western genre, In my argument I will consider justifications towards Potter’s statements while at the same time providing a counter argument.
This film, written 1n 1977, does not fall in any category of a genre. The film does not obey genre rules with regard to both content and stylistic devices. According to Wales films content and stylistic devices dictates its categorization. (Wales ,1989, pg 206).This film follows a slightly different path only keeping the logic at play rather than the contextual relationships with other works. Although the film is simple in nature, it defies interrelationships with other films and literal works .According to Altman’s assertion this film is expected to bear great relevance to internal logic rather than contextual relationship with other works. Most aspects such as stylistic devices employed, content, factors that inspired it among other features follow a slightly different path as compared to other works of literature.
Inspiration
Rarely were authors, play writes and other professionals in literature inspired by their thoughts. Most creators of works of literature relied heavily on the events taking place in their neighborhood, culture and other historical events. Unlike other play writes David Lynch was inspired to write this film Eraserhead by a day dream involving a man whose head was taken to a local industry to manufacture pencil heads. This form of inspiration presents a unique way of beginning literature and as a result he ended up creating an ambiguous film. This argument qualifies Altman’s statement since instead of relying on earlier methods of writing films David followed his own path.
The contents of this particular film slightly follow the assertions made by Altman. The work introduces the misery of Henry, the main character. As the film begins the author introduces Henry with his head superimposed in an imaginary planet. The factious content of this film even from its onset is disturbing as it lacks basic intellect and correlation with contents found in other films. The author struggles to make it look logical but obviously not to make it true. Amazing scenes occur and the audience is introduced to fictions series of events some of which include Henry opening his mouth and the emergence of a warm, the entrance of Henry into a radiator in a dream, the turning of a bed into milk as Henry is seduced by a woman among others.
The film seems to heavily rely on the logic determined by the author rather than intellectual content displayed in other genres. David carefully formulates his own path of rules that do not agree with any intellectual knowledge available to man at the time of its writing. The work presented in this film is theoretical in nature falling far from what other writers of the time were trying to achieve. There are many imagined events in this particular work that are far from reality. David’s work contradicts writer’s movements that begun in the 1950s that advocated for realistic content. Instead, he formulates his own original content and presents it in a series of dreams in order to follow a logical order to satisfy his audience.
Stylistic devices
Although the play write uses stylistic devices common in other works of literature, his follows its own logical rules. The work uses imagery and dreams, dramatic description and other stylistic devices. Images adopted by David, for example do not correlate with images that were generally accepted and used by other writers to present obvious things. For example he uses the radiator to symbolize death. This symbolic use of language is uncommon and was not the case with other writers. Other writers of the time used symbols such as cemeteries, graves and coffins to symbolize death. Dreams were common among many writers but David’s dream was much more unique as they contained imagined content that would be far from reality. Unlike common dreams in works of literature of the time his dreams were much unrealistic in nature and did not present what other writers propagated for. Dreams in other works of literature often presented possible events only exaggerated in time of occurrence. David’s dreams included aspects such as blowing of Henry’s head by wind, turning of a bed into milk among others. Such over exaggerated dreams were however not common among writers of the time.
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
This movie can be classified under the category of western genres. The film follows the basic rules of a genre and uses common stylistic device used by other writers (Flower, 1989 206). It is therefore a convenient choice for verifying Altman’s assertion. As expected the movie is both logical and lays a firm foundation on inter-textual content. The events presented in this film are easy to verify and are realistic in life as is the case with other films. In addition it lays a strong basis on earlier works of films underlining the fact that it was not composed in isolation from generally accepted knowledge in the helm of education. The film is representative of events that were taking place at the time of its composition.
Inspiration
The writer was inspired by an actual event that took place in his surroundings on August 29 1900. Potter was thus ridiculing the event where 3 bandits halted a train in the Pacific Railroad mistreated the conductors and made away with cash. His work is typical of post war Spanish literature famously known as social realism. The work represents efforts to expose evils taking place among communities as was the common trend among many writers and film makers from the 1950s. The reference to actual events and earlier related works reveals that the art is not a standalone piece of literature.
This film, like other works of literature from the same setting was a representation of outlawed activities of Banditry that were taking place in the far west at the time. Other writers had captured similar events and what potter did was borrowed from them. Williams works for example, which was available at the time potter was writing the film captured Jesses James, a bandit who had terrorized American trains.
As the film begins a group of Bandits enter a telegraph office and forcing the operator to obtain a signal block for an approaching train. . Science and technological features are developed by the writer as is the case with the train, signal communication, a modern control office among others. The use of technology in literal work was a common trend by writers as is revealed by science fiction films of the time. Potters work therefore qualifies Altman’s statement by relying on textual content from other works.
The characters in the film are engaged in a battle of wits and admiration can be attached to them rather than to the author during the viewing. This is a common observation in books and works written before its time, this approach is common in other movies of the time as is the case with a movie of the 80s referred to as the last star fighter and was also common in the animated films of 1980s .As is evident the car’s mail messenger and the Bandits engage in a battle of the mind. The car messenger manages to locate the bandits and uses his intellect to lock the door to the valuables and throws the keys away. He is however outwitted by the bandits who blow it open with an explosive having failed to trace the key. This work truly agrees with Atman’s assertion, the writer is sure to include scenes that call for creative thinking assigning different capacities to his characters. The general trend was remarkably common in films of the time.
The film also follows an interesting correlation with realism to avoid probable criticism .As explained by Barry failure to follow certain trends would attract criticism in a genre (Barry 2006 pg 20-46).This depicts a calculated intellectual effort by the film writer to create correlation with other artistic works. Critics of the time such as Fredric Jameson were quick to seek for such correlation in works of literature. A case in point is the speed of the train which is 40kph to allow the events being presented by the author to the audience display a realistic model. This realistic nature of film was not a standalone aspect but a literal requirement that was emerging among writers. The trend had begun as a movement by writers such as Raymond Carver and Tobias Wolff who advocated for realism in literature. From its onset to the end the film presents a series of intellectual events displaying the inter-textual relationships with other works. Every event is presided by another and its success is fully dependant on the success of the previous one. There is coordination among characters which makes it unique and interesting.
Qualifying Altman’s statement
A study of the two films reveals several aspects that qualify Atman’s assertions. The film By David obviously presents logical events that lack intellect and correlation with other works. The stylistic devices employed in his work for example contain exaggerations that are not common in other works of literature. Those presented in the great train robbery on the other hand were commonly used among writers representing inter-textual relationships. The two are also inspired by different events with one bending towards imaginary events and the other towards realism. Eraserhead was inspired by a day dream while the great train robbery was inspired by a real event involving a train robbery. Play writes and authors of the time were commonly adhering to realism in literature by writing about events taking place in their surroundings rather than reacting to events in their minds
One of the ways of interpreting film according to ( Bordwel & David ) is critically analyzing its content (Bordwel $ David 1989 pg 54). A focus on content reveals that the two arts are also different in scientific content .Eraserhead lacks true correlation to scientific possibilities; this was uncommon among works written at the time. The great train robbery on the other hand presents scientific realities with technology being a central theme a comparable aspect with movies of the 8os like those by John Hughes.
The presentations of the two films also helps qualify Atman’s statement .David’s characters unlike those presented in the great train robbery do not engage in intellectual battles. Instead his characters are preoccupied with their own thoughts and are victims of their own actions representative of a unique way of doing things not common in other works. Those in the train robbery are presented under strict circumstances and are forced to make unexpected decisions emanating from external forces. This film is typical of other films of the time such as wired sciences by Molly and others. The evil characters are glorified at the expense of others .Such textual content was emerging and taking root in many literal works in the late 80s and the early b90s. This genre is in agreement with the general trends of genres that depicts constant metamorphism yet remaining faithful to inter-textual content (Barry Langford, 2006 pg 46).Dramatic events in the train robbery engross the mind of the audience while logic flow is what captures the mind of those viewing the Eraserhead.
Counter argument
Although the two films generally follow Altman’s arguments there are exceptions. Both films rely heavily on internal logic. Events presented by the two writers are in general adhering to logical argument capable of convincing the audience. In addition both works borrow from other works as is the case with stylistic devices. Dreams, symbolism, dramatic description among other figures of speech characterize the two works. These stylistic symbols, on which the two works heavily relies, are common features used by many authors. The thematic content of the two works also indicate social evils as was the case with many authors. Eraserhead , for example tackled immorality which was a common theme among many writers. The great train robbery on the other hand revolves around banditry which was also common in many films.
Conclusion
Altman’s statement basically applies to many aspects of films but further critical analysis reveals that particular aspects defy his assertion.
Bibliography
- Barry Langford (2006) Film Genre: Hollywood and Beyond Scotland: Edinburgh University Press
- Bordwell & David (1989): Making Meaning: Inference and Rhetoric in the Interpretation of Cinema. Cambridge: Harvard University Press
- Corner, John (1991):Meaning, genre and context: the problematic of "public knowledge" London: Edward Arnold press
- Fowler, Alastair (1989): 'Genre'. In Erik Barnouw (Ed.):International Communication Encyclopedia, Vol. 2. N Y: The Oxford University Press.
- Swales, John M (1990): Genre Analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Filmography
- David Lynch (1948) Eraserhead: TheBritish film Resource retrieved from http://www.britishfilm.org.uk/lynch/eraserhead.htm on 27th April 2013
- William S. Hart The great Train robbery.Vci movies retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/grea2.html on 27th April 2013
