Auteur Theory Essay Example

stating that the screen writer must completely re-conceive his material into film medium so there is a high creative effort involved.Double Indemnity is an example of his work even though it was co-written with Raymond Chandler. Writers are not given much credit for their work and are quite frustrated as the director can change the parts of the screenplay or add to parts they do not like. Howard Koch argues that the script writers should be given the same status as playwrights as they get to rent their plays to whom they like;'The writer is the primary creative source. He puts down on paper the significant symbol, visual as well as auditory, through which character is revealed .

.... It is the writer's imagination that first previews the substance of what eventually appears on the screen.

'(5)The Apartment, another film written and directed by Billy Wilder, is a 1960 American comedy-drama film starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray. It was Wilder's follow up to the enormously popular Some Like It Hot and was an equal commercial and critical hit, grossing $25 million at the box office, and winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. (3)The Apartment to me has a delicate balance of light comedy and dark drama, which in some stories would be a risky route to take, but Billy Wilder made this work and its shows well here because it all feels natural. When Sheldrake receives a present from Fran and he asks "What is it?" as an audience you don't question it because he would make that 'odd' inquiry. One of the most powerfully real scenes comes afterward, when Sheldrake gives her

a $100 note as a Christmas present. I felt that this was a strong metaphorical significance and on Wilders skills was complete genius, as many thought.

'Wilder's directorial choices reflected his belief in the primacy of writing. He avoided the exuberant cinematography of Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles because, in Wilder's opinion, shots that called attention to themselves would distract the audience from the story. Wilder's pictures have tight plotting and memorable dialogue. Despite his conservative directorial style, his subject matter often pushed the boundaries of mainstream entertainment.' (4)However in saying this there is a different view of who the auteur is.

'Auteur theory' came from France in the late 1940's. It symbolises the film director as the major creative artist imposing a personal viewpoint on every aspect of the production. As a result, the director's personality is consistently expressed throughout his films. It is said and thought to be contained by visual style of a film that the auteur leaves their characteristic mark.

Relating this back to The Apartment, even though the film itself was dated, in terms of fashion and technology, the themes still relate to the 21st century and I feel that they always will. Thinking about this, I can't help but see Billy Wilder as someone who was ahead of the time and did bring a definite uniqueness to the screen. The unique being he's own personality.However for a director to be considered an auteur, he is said to have a particular style within his work, a vision of his own that can be seen throughout all of his films.

Billy Wilder may not have the flashy visual style of, a director like Alfred

Hitchcock, but his direction is flowing and expressive, moving from shockingly direct imagery to more subtle effects.Billy once said that there are only two types of films: 'interesting movies and boring ones. It's as simple as that. Does the film rivet my attention so that I drop my popcorn bag and become part of what is happening on the screen or doesn't it? If the film engages my interests only sporadically, the picture just hasn't got it'.(6)