Week 3 Assignment

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University Of Arizona *

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225

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English

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Jan 9, 2024

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Uploaded by Kimberlyrath

Phil Alden Robinson and the Auteur Theory Kimberly Selby The University of Arizona Global Campus ENG225: Introduction to Film Instr. Naimah Abdelwahab 17 April 2023

Phil Alden Robinson and the Auteur Theory Auteur Theory states that the movie's creation is primarily a result of the director's creative vision. According to the Auteur theory, films reflect their directors' artistic vision; therefore, a film directed by a particular director will have a recurring theme and a consistent visual style throughout his or her career that will tell the audience who the director is. Andrew Sarris outlined three specific ways to distinguish an auteur in the Auteur Theory section, figure 8.1; technical competency, which means films must be well made; distinguishable personality, which means films must have a distinctive style and attitude; and interior meaning, which means the work should convey consistent world perspectives (Goodykoontz, B., et al., 2019). Phil Alden Robinson is the director I chose to analyze, and I have chosen his films Field of Dreams (1989) and Sneakers (1992) as examples of how each meets Sarris's three ways of defining an auteur. Technical competence is the first element of Sarris's theory and can be summed up as how well the film is made. "Artfulness is implicit in the analysis of technical competence - artistry, craft, aesthetic mastery, but it is, of course, subjective - we each have a different appreciation of and criteria for artfulness" (Goodykoontz, B., et al., 2019). Field of Dreams explores the possibility of second chances and forgiveness while restoring our faith in humanity; while Sneakers explores a revenge scenario that is more intensely passionate. The quality of the communication and the appropriateness of the message must also be considered. Diverse approaches were taken to answering these questions. A crossroads in Ray's life is the subject of the first film, which follows him on a fantasy journey. With the second film, viewers will be kept on their toes through a fast-paced action film filled with twists and turns. It is evident that despite the differences between the two films, there is a common theme.

Distinguishable personality is the second element of Sarris's theory. A journey into the meaning of life and a journey through Ray Kinsella's life are explored in Field of Dreams . Along the way, he meets several characters with unresolved issues whom he traveled back through time to find. Helping the other players gives Ray a chance to reconnect with his father. In Sneakers, Martin Brice escapes arrest while running out for pizza with his college friend Cosmo. As the plot unfolds, Cosmo is sentenced to prison for hacking, while Martin becomes a fugitive, changes his name, and rebuilds his life. After a successful mission for the National Security Agency, he leads a security team to retrieve a mathematician's "black box." Cosmo sets him up as the culprit before embarking on the mission. If Martin can retrieve the box, he can earn his freedom. Interior meaning is the third element of Sarris’s theory. Using our textbook as a reference, the definition of this concept encompasses the distinct personality of a director across a collection of works (Goodykoontz, B., et al., 2019). Second chances are recurring themes in both films. To move forward in life, Ray has to heal his relationship with a younger version of his deceased father. A second chance at freedom was offered to Martin by the NSA. He would no longer be considered a fugitive once he completed this job with the NSA. Cinematography and narration are among the elements in creating a film, along with audio, videography, editing, and mise-en-scene. This analysis examined the Auteur theory, which argues that films reflect their directors' artistic vision, which means that every film by that director has recurring themes and visual elements that indicate who the director is and show a consistent artistic identity through the years. In addition, we analyzed the directing style of Field of Dreams and Sneakers director Phil Alden Robinson. Despite their differences in approach,

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both films share a common theme of reconciliation and second chances. While the first film uses a feel-good approach, the second uses an action-packed approach. Although it is an important part of the study of film, some film critics oppose the auteur theory. References Goodykoontz, B., Jacobs, C.P., Meetze, J., & Pritts, N. (2019). Film: From watching to seeing (3rd ed.)

Week 3 Assignment

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