This dissertation explores the embodied and sensory dimensions of fantastic film, those elements that are generally held up in contrast to and, often, in excess of, narrative structure. I suggest a departure from the traditional approach to genre study which has been preoccupied with narrative formulas, themes, and iconographies. My goal is not to dispense with those kinds of analyses but to complement them and, importantly, to point to some neglected dimensions of genre pleasure. I propose to transform the presumably excessive pleasures of the fantastic genre into something essential to it. First, I explore the disavowal or avoidance of embodied sensation within popular genre criticism. I then turn to critique existing models of film reception, focusing particularly upon a critique of the ocularcentric or visualist framework. From this critique, I am able to suggest some criteria for an alternative theoretical model based upon embodiment. I propose a theoretical framework based, first, on the phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, who demonstrates that human subjects are constituted materially and culturally through their perceptual relations within the world. Second, I rely upon a further interpretation of this phenomenology by the American philosopher Don Ihde. Ihde’s work, configured as “postphenomenology,” draws variously from technoscience studies, the philosophy of science, feminist, and posthumanist theory, and sketches a system for the application of an experimental phenomenology. With this method, I explore various embodied, sensational aspects of fantastic genre films, i.e., spectacle, gore, musical genre conventions. I describe and relate these aspects of fantastic film to other cultural venues, exploring common themes and structures among them. From this, I draw some conclusions as to the nature of these sensational genre pleasures for embodied human individuals. Simultaneously, I consider the possibilities for embodied difference among individuals. / text

This study looked at the effects of stereotypes in the media on memory for ambiguous events. The latter were stimuli created to portray individuals of two different racial groups (white and black) in situations that did not necessarily negatively implicate these actors. Two hundred and thirty six participants took part and viewed these events as well as six media clips. Three groups of media clips were shown: clips with black actors, white actors, and both races. A subset of participants, the explicit condition, were asked to rate the media clips for stereotypes, whereas another group, the implicit condition, were instructed that these clips were distractions. The participants' main goal was to remember the ambiguous events they saw and distinguish them from a new set of altered - more negative - events from the old items seen at encoding. A main effect of ambiguous events ethnicity was found, which could be interpreted as part icipants having more difficulty remembering black actors. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This thesis examines how the cinematic organization of film is used to convey meaning. Hiroshima mon amour (1959) and L'Annee derniere a Marienbad (1961) I two films directed by Alain Resnais, are used as models for this purpose. This thesis argues for a new type of film criticism, one that recognizes the uniqueness of film by adding technical analysis to the literary methods that currently dominate. Traditionally, film criticism has followed two directions: firstly that of the "film reviewer" whose efforts bow to the economic needs of the industry, and secondly the academic or scholarly approach which is based in large part on literary criticism, and falls into two general categories, thematic analysis and interpretive analysis. This thesis proposes that the literary methods which are appropriate for literature are inadequate for film, because of the way cinematographic technique is employed to convey meaning. To this end, the films, Hiroshima mon amour and L'Annee derniere a Marienbad, are analyzed in terms of technique and how technique structures film, as well as in more traditional terms. The evolution of film technology correlates directly with what a director is able to portray on the screen, and so it is appropriate to include in this examination the art-historical context of Hiroshima. mon amour and L'Annee derniere a Marienbad: what came directly before as well as what was happening in literature, art, politics and film technology contemporaneously with these two films. The organization of film not only occurs at a literary or intellectual level, but at a physical or technical level. The intent of this thesis is to implement a model for a third sort of film analysis, an alternative to interpretation-driven criticism, one which includes, in addition to explication and interpretation, the use of film technology as a valid means of comprehending a film. The result of this broader form of analysis is a more accurate understanding of film through the comprehension of the aspects which make it an original art form. The use of specific film technology forms a more balanced and accurate approach to film criticism.

Bibliography: leaves 104-117.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines the development of film criticism in Cape Town's daily press from 1928 to 1930, using film reviews from the newspapers the Cape Times and Die Burger as sources. The study starts with an overview of studies concerning early South African film history, and characterizes it as a rather underdeveloped field of study. The character of film criticism in the period under discussion is explained by using a description of the general function of film criticism as a basis and taking film criticism in the Weimar Republic of Germany as an example for the following comparison. The basis for the comparative analysis is a list of films screened in three selected cinemas in Cape Town from 1928 to 1930. Part of the analysis is an empirical study to examine the quantitative development of film reviews in the period under discussion. Length ranges with which to characterize film reviews are defined and the preferred average lengths of reviews for both newspapers as well as for films screened at the particular cinemas are listed. The qualitative part of the study is a content analysis of two selected groups of films: 1. films which received average-size reviews and 2. films which ran longer than average and received above-average size reviews. The survey reveals that the Cape Times followed a "quantitative strategy", reviewing all films screened and that Die Burger had a "qualitative The reviews strategy", in both reviewing specially selected films only. newspapers can be characterized as functionalistic. The Cape Times displayed their business orientation by publishing mostly advertisement-like reviews; Die Burger's political orientation was reflected in comments about the language in sound films, including film and cinema into the language struggle. The study demonstrates that newspapers are a valuable source for research concerning early South African film history. The existing standard reference, Thelma Gutsche's The History and Social ,Significance of Motion Pictures in South Africa 1895-1940 can be fruitfully complemented by using Afrikaans newspapers, as well as the writings of the Afrikaner film critic Hans Rompel. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die ontwikkeling van rolprentresensies in die pers van Kaapstad in die jare 1928 tot 1930 en gebruik daarvoor resensies van die nuuskoerante Cape Times en Die Burger. Die ondersoek begin met 'n oorsig van die vroeë Suid Afrikaanse rolprentgeskiedenis. Die karakter van rolprentresensie in die gegewe periode word verduidelik deur 'n beskrywing van die algemene funksie om rolprentresensie as "n basis te gebruik en rolprentresensies in die Duitse Weimar Republiek as 'n voorbeeld vir die opvolgende vergelyking te neem. Die basis vir die vergelykende analise is 'n lys van rolprente wat in drie geselekteerde bioskope in Kaapstad gedurende die periode van 1928 tot 1930 gewys is. 'n Gedeelte van die analise behels 'n empiriese studie om die kwantitatiewe ontwikkeling van rolprentrensensies gedurende die gegewe periode te ondersoek. Lengte reekse word gedefinieer om die resensies te karakteriseer, en die verkose gemiddelde lengtes van resensies word gelys vir beide nuuskoerante as ook vir films wat by die geselekeerde cinemas gewys is. Die kwalitatiewe gedeelte van die studie is 'n inhoudanalise van twee geselekteerde groepe van rolprente: 1. rolprente wat resensies van gemiddelde lengte ontvang het en 2. rolprente wat langer as gemiddeld gewys is en resensies van bo-gemiddelde lengte ontvang het. Die ondersoek wys uit dat die Cape Times 'n "kwantitatiewe strategie" gevolg het deur alle rolprente te resenseer, terwyl die Die Burger 'n "kwalitatiewe strategie" gevolg het deur net gekeurde rolprente te resenseer. Die resensies in albei nuuskoerante kan as funkionalisties beskryf word. Die Cape Times lig sy besigheidsgeorienteerde houding uit, deur grotendeels advertensie-gelyke resensies te skryf; Die Burger demonstreer sy politiese orientering deur kommentaar oor die taalgebruik in klankrolprente te lewer en sluit so rolprente en bioskope in die taalstryd in. Die studie demonstreer dat koerante 'n waardevolle inligtingsbron vir navorsing oor die vroeë Suid Afrikaanse rolprentgeskiedenis lewer. Die bestaande standaardverwysing, Thelma Gutsche se The History and Social Significance of Motion Pictures in South Africa 1895-1940 kan suksesvol gekomplimenteer word deur gebruik te maak van Afrikaanse koerante, as ook van die tekste van die Afrikaanse filmkritikus, Hans Rompel.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:23:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 6027.pdf: 10424635 bytes, checksum: e0140f50f86befa4b57a528ff7b8b17b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-11 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / This research analyses the history of the Cineclube Antônio das Mortes, CAM, between 1977 and 1987. This organization was created in the city of Goiânia and its main activities were film screenings, discussions, study groups, film criticism and audiovisual production. Through the survey of documents, newspapers, photos, testimonials and films, it was possible to focus on three aspects of the historical process of this cine-club: The first one is its trajectory, including the study of its exhibitions, discussions after screenings, study groups and the characteristics the entity acquired during ten years of activities. The second aspect is the comprehension of CAM while a cine-club, and its relationship with the cine-club movement in Brazil. The third aspect is the film production and the film criticism by its members. This research has the main objective of identifying the various profiles that the cine-club acquired and how they had had strong influence over the relation with other cineclubs and the film criticism and the audiovisual production of the group. / Esta pesquisa aborda a história do Cineclube Antônio das Mortes, CAM, entre os anos de 1977 e 1987. A entidade foi criada em Goiânia e teve como estrutura de atividades a exibição de filmes, debates, grupos de estudos e a produção crítica e audiovisual. A partir do levantamento de documentos, jornais, fotos, depoimentos e filmes foi possível aprofundar-se em três aspectos do processo histórico deste cineclube. O primeiro deles é a sua trajetória, levando em conta a exibição, os debates, grupos de estudos e as características que a entidade adquiriu nos dez anos de atuação. O segundo aspecto é a compreensão do CAM enquanto cineclube e enquanto sua relação com o movimento cineclubista brasileiro. O terceiro aspecto é a produção de críticas de cinema e filmes realizados por seus membros. Tem-se o objetivo de identificar os diversos perfis que o cineclube adquiriu e como estes perfis dialogaram com outros cineclubes e com a produção crítica e audiovisual do grupo.

The divide between popular culture and high culture has been a subject of discussion since the early days of media research. Even though popular culture has a somewhat higher status today than in the early 1900’s, the division between the two cultural forms still exists. For example, the movies that appeal to the great masses are rarely awarded the most prestigious European film prices. The aim of this study was to examine how these two cultural practices is separated in film reviews on the Swedish film site MovieZine with the use of the socio-cultural theories of Adorno, Horkheimer and Bourdieu. The main issues consisted of what types of rhetorical arguments the critics use to value the film, and what types of cultural references they make in the different reviews The selection of the movie reviews for this study was based on the ten most viewed movies in Swedish cinema in 2016, and ten movies that were awarded some of the most prestigious and refined American and European film prices in the same year. The general result showed that the film critics used different types of rhetorical arguments based on what type of films they reviewed. In their reviews of the more high cultural films, the citric based their arguments on matters that are considered to be of a more intellectual and analytical kind, than in the reviews of the films that appeal to the masses. The critics often referred to movies or other cultural phenomenon that could be placed on the same side of the cultural spectrum as the movies they reviewed.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Interpretive textual analysis, informed by a feminist perspective, is applied to five independent films written and directed by female filmmakers in order to understand to what extent the rhetorical construction of motherhood as presented in the films deviates from or supports a patriarchal Western vision. This study provides a rich textual analysis of Amreeka (2009), Frozen River (2008), Waitress (2006), The Dead Girl (2006), and Lovely and Amazing (2001); five films that each considers the role of contemporary mothering as a central part of its plot. Each film has been distributed within ten years of the inception of this study, is considered an independent film, has received some degree of critical acclaim, and is written and directed by a female filmmaker. Using a feminist critical interpretive lens, this study investigates the public and private sphere identification of the mothers, the mother-child relationships, and the family systems that work to unveil a vision of motherhood in contemporary independent film and identify the extent to which this vision challenges or adheres to traditional representations. The readings of these films rely on theoretical insights of feminist film criticism and feminist theory. In addition, feminist rhetorical perspectives provide the framework to reveal the broader cultural implications of the representation of contemporary motherhood in public discourse. The analysis reveals a subversive reading of contemporary mothering characterized by the rejection of domesticity and other traditional mothering ideologies. Informed by resistance theory, the findings suggest the female filmmakers utilize the symbolic inversion tactic as a tool to resist their subordinate status. The subversive discourses give voice to female filmmakers attempting to negotiate power in a traditionally patriarchal forum by invoking a rhetoric of resistance. However, the rhetorical construction of the “indie” mother is characterized by maternal sacrifice and maternal autonomy which ultimately forces women to negotiate their mothering identity in relation to the hegemonic childrearing model of intensive mothering. The production of contradictory messages illustrates an attempt to adapt to existing conditions rather than transform the patriarchal system suggesting that independent film is a dynamic medium that both reflects hegemonic discourse while remaining open to ideological variance.

In the spirit of Guillermo Del Toro, “Disobedience is a virtue” in life and acts as an essential element in the art of cinema, which allows filmmakers to tell stories about their nativism and imagination. With disobedience, it is a theme that allows filmmakers to resist and rebel against traditional methods of film production and storytelling found in mainstream Hollywood films while breaking barriers of the Cultivation Theory in which molds such Latino stereotypes through the way the media paint the landscape of society. American cinema has utilized stereotypical Latino characters portraying Cholos, occasional sex symbols, indolent labor workers, illiterate immigrants, house housekeepers, nannies, and violent criminals. Mexican and Mexican Americans embodied the importance of disobedience in life to obtain opportunities and with that, filmmakers have used film to their advantage in telling both Latino and non-Latino narratives that branch out from Hollywood’s formula and business of cinema. I will examine six Latino filmmakers and a selected film from each filmmaker to analyze their use of disobedience within their narratives and filmmaking practice. By analyzing the films of Luis Valdez, Gregory Nava, Guillermo Del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, and Fernando Frías De La Parra, I will explore and define how each filmmaker embodies their version of disobedience in the context of Neufeld’s (2015) aesthetic disobedience concept along with Burgous and Linlott’s (2023) additional categories of artistic (filmmaker) disobedience and art world (story world) disobedience.

Diploma thesis Stars, points, percentage: the influence of critics reviews on the Czech cinema attendance aims to verify whether reviews and critics in printed and electronic media affect how many viewers see the movie in the cinema. Besides this main question, this study is also focused on other hypotheses associated with the general notion that a professional film critic, as an expert, has higher demands on audiovisual works, and therefore films rated in professional journals have a lower rating than when they are evaluated in the media intended for the general public. The theoretical framework of the thesis briefly deals with the definition and historical development of criticism at first in general and then with the critics and reviews of film. It also outlines the evolution of cinematography and film as media and art. In addition, some other factors that may affect cinema attendance are mentioned. The last passage summarizes the current foreign and domestic studies and works dealing with similar topics. In the research part, all the films that premiered in our country from 2006 to 2015 were analyzed by the quantitative method. There were almost 2,300 films, which were reviewed in Cinepur and Cinema magazines, on iDNES.cz and aktualne.cz news servers and Moviezone.cz, Kinobox.cz and ČSFD web portals....