French Impressionism

1
COM 320 History of the Moving Image

• French Impressionism
• 1918-1929

2
Defining Characteristics

• Goal is to convey sensations and emotional
  impressions . . . conveying the personal vision
  of the artist . . . cinema shows us the souls of
  people and the essence of objects (photogenie) .
  . . Cinema is a synthesis of the other arts
  (architecture, painting, sculpture, music,
  poetry, dance)

3
Form Style Camera work most important

• Narrative structurepersonal actions and
  psychology

Abel Gance, Napoleon, 1927
Jean Epstein, Coeur fidele, 1923
4
Form Style Camera work most important

• Narrative structurepersonal actions and
  psychology

Germaine Dulac, The Smiling Madame Beudet, 1922
5
Form Style Camera work most important

• Narrative structurepersonal actions and
  psychology
• Photogenie that quality which distinguishes a
  film shot from the original object photographed

6

• Photogenie--There are parallels in French Imp
  painting, e.g.

Frederick Carl Frieseke, Lady in a Garden, 1912
7

• Photogenie--There are parallels in French Imp
  painting, e.g.

Mary Cassatt, Lydia Leaning on Her Arms, 1879
Claude Monet, one of his Water Lilies series, c.
1915
8
Form Style Camera work most important

• Narrative structurepersonal actions and
  psychology
• Photogenie that quality which distinguishes a
  film shot from the original object photographed
• Optical devices often used to do this

Triptych from Abel Gances Napoleon
9
Form Style Camera work most important

• Narrative structurepersonal actions and
  psychology
• Photogenie that quality which distinguishes a
  film shot from the original object photographed
• Optical devices often used to do this

Abel Gance, Napoleon, 1927
Abel Gance, La Roue, 1922
10
Form Style Camera work most important

• Narrative structurepersonal actions and
  psychology
• Photogenie that quality which distinguishes a
  film shot from the original object photographed
• Optical devices often used to do this

Jean Epstein, Coeur fidele, 1923
11
Form Style Camera work most important

• Narrative structurepersonal actions and
  psychology
• Photogenie that quality which distinguishes a
  film shot from the original object photographed
• Optical devices often used to do this
• Visual rhythm of fast cutting
• Note examples from Abel Gance
• The Charm of Dynamite

12
Form Style Camera work most important

• Narrative structurepersonal actions and
  psychology
• Photogenie that quality which distinguishes a
  film shot from the original object photographed
• Optical devices often used to do this
• Visual rhythm of fast cutting
• Location shooting

Abel Gance, JAccuse, 1919
13
Background

• In a commercial film context
• French film in crisis after WWI
• France swamped with German and U.S. films
• Small French companies willing to experiment

14
Other Film Types in that Nation at that Time

• Genre films
• Fantasy (e.g., Rene Clair)

Rene Clair, Le Fantôme du Moulin Rouge, 1924
15
Other Film Types in that Nation at that Time

• Genre films
• Fantasy (e.g., Rene Clair)
• Comedy (e.g., Max Linder)

Max Linder
16
Importance of the Movement

• Influential in style
• Not very important in terms of (box office)

17
Important Practitioners

• Abel Gance (1889-1981)

Abel Gance, Napoleon, 1927
18
Important Practitioners

• Jean Epstein (1897-1953)

Jean Epstein, Coeur fidele, 1923
19
Important Practitioners

• Germaine Dulac (1882-1942)

Germaine Dulac, The Smiling Madame Beudet, 1922
20
The Death of the Movement

• The movements own success led to a diffusion of
  its techniques, and a lessening of its impact
• French Impressionist filmmakers lost their
  independence with the introduction of sound ()

21
Current Influences Applications

• Subjectivity, especially in indie films
• e.g., films of Gus Van Sant

22

• end