Auteur Theory And Alfred Hitchcock Essay

That is, it overlooks the fact that filmmaking is a collaborative venture where the relegation of teamwork is one of the main concerns in the entire duration of the filming of the movie. The theory also detaches the films away from their audiences and from their social contexts in connection to the theory’s treatment of the great artists as transcending time. Lastly, it also appears to “overrate the poor works created by major artists” (Stam, 2). Overall, the theory nevertheless puts strong emphasis on the personal touch of the director in giving life to the many different aspects of the film itself. By constantly wielding and utilizing the director’s personal touch on the film, a “recurring theme can be observed and that this consistent style creates the impression that the reputation of the director as a crucial part in the creation of the films goes beyond his or her role in the single movie itself”, that it actually relegates the role of the director in installing his worldview and thus making the film as if it was truly his or her own (Sarris, 27-28).

Alfred Hitchcock as an auteur As with the case of the renowned director Alfred Hitchcock, a convergence of elements eventually prompted film theorists to brand him with the label of an auteur. Hitchcock generally worked and directed movies that fall under the thriller genre by imprinting upon formulaic movies his famed idiosyncratic touches.Apart from engaging in the radio, it is in England where Hitchcock started his career (Martin and Wikstrom). One of his most famous works is the film The 39 Steps which was released in 1935 which soon captured the attention of Hollywood which eventually lured Hitchcock in the 1940s. With his TV series entitled Alfred Hitchcock Presents which received airing for almost a decade from 1955 to 1965 and which he himself is the host and producer, Hitchcock’s name became a household label which eventually led to his status as a famous celebrity. Consequently, his body shape, his particular voice, and his unconventional habits and mannerisms became immediately identifiable.

Since film producers have a significant trust on Hitchcock, he was able to freely include these elements either in a subtle or in an obvious manner. The constant inclusion of these personal elements in the many movies of Hitchcock eventually molded an image uniquely his own. Hence, it became inevitable that the movies highlighting these elements were immediately attributed to Hitchcock thereby creating the director-image of Hitchcock as an auteur.Conclusion Considering all of the characteristics of Hitchcock, his crucial role in the movies he created, the inclusion of the elements in the movies which reflect his personality and lifestyle as well as the role of the scholars in carefully assessing his impact of his personal touches in the movies, it can be said that Hitchcock indeed is an auteur in the strictest sense of the word. Although arguments can be raised against the role of the director as an auteur in the filming of the movies, it remains a fact that Hitchcock had an immense weight of participation prior to, during , and even after the filmmaking process. Part of the arguments against it is the claim that several other factors must also be considered and the merit should not solely belong to the director. As with the case of the seemingly lesser roles in the movies, the collective efforts of all the participants excluding the participation of the director when combined altogether essentially posits a substantial bearing in the creation of the film.

Nevertheless, it is the given fact that Hitchcock himself was able to equal or to the extent of even surpassing the combined efforts of the other roles in film production. This fact further reinforces the personal touches Hitchcock juxtaposed in the scenes of the movies. In conclusion, the factors which are attributed to the delegation of the status of an auteur to Hitchcock should not be looked upon as a means to ignore the relative importance of the role of the rest of the crew involved in film production. Rather, the role of Hitchcock as an auteur should be noted as a form of a proper authority in guiding the direction of the film.

20-21. Both “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour” are treated by far as the most successful mystery anthologies to grace the television. “The Alfred Hitchcock Presents Companion” is the premiere and “official” book documenting the complete history of the television program supplemented by an episode-by-episode broadcast manual. By far, the book gives us an account on the life of Alfred Hitchcock in shedding light into the placement of his lifestyle and personal thoughts on his films.Ray, Robert B.

“The Bordwell Regime and the Stakes of Knowledge.” How a Film Theory Got Lost and Other Mysteries in Cultural Studies. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 2001. 38-39. This book gives a crucial insight into the filmmaking process and its relevant theories, providing an extra arm in looking deep into Alfred Hitchcock’s authority as an auteur as evidenced in the movies he has created. By tracing the development of films through history, one is able to observe and organize the set of patterns evident in films.

346. This book provides an essential backgrounder on the life of Alfred Hitchcock within the movie industry as well as beyond the silver screen as related by his close friends and comrades in the film industry. It brings to light the auteur status of Hitchcock as he further went on to the closing days of his life, apart from the significant changes and impacts he has given unto the industry at large.