SergeiEisenstein,ADialecticalApproachtoFilmForm
1. Howisgoodartdynamic(47)?Isagoodjokedynamicinthesameway?
2.
Afterputtingforwardtheideathatthequantityoftheintervaldeterminesthepressureofthetension(47),Eisensteinaddstheproviso,Therecanbecaseswherethedistanceofseparationissowidethatitleadstoabreak.Whatdoesthismean?Doesitapplytojokes,aswell?
3.
Whatiswrongwiththeideathatshotsarethebuildingblocksofsequences
(49)?(ThisisthesameasthedistinctionEisensteinmakes,onp.53,betweenanelementofmontageandamontagecell,bytheway.)
4.
Onpage50,EisensteindescribesaprocessremarkablylikeNolCarrolls
explanationofthesightgag:Theincongruenceincontourofthefirstpicturealreadyimpressedonthemindwiththesubsequentlyperceivedsecondpictureengenders,inconflict.WhydoesEisensteinconsiderthiseffectartisticratherthancomic?
5. Whatconstitutesirregularityinaworkofart(51)andwhyisthatso
important?
6.
Whatisthedifferencebetweendynamicmontageandlifelessorhollowliterarysymbolism(58)?
7.
Whatisthedifferencebetweentensioncalculatedforpsychologicaleffect
andtensioncalculatedtoproducenewideas(61)?Canhumorbeassociatedwithoneortheother?
SergeiEisenstein,AFewThoughtsaboutSovietComedy
8. Whatisthepurposeofgoodsocialistcomedy?
9. WhydoestheendingofChaplinsThePilgrimsupposedlyevokegood
Bolsheviklaughter?HowdoesthisrelatetoEisensteinsideaofdialecticalmontage?
SiegfriedKracauer,excerptsfromTheoryofFilm
10.
Whatisphysicalreality,accordingtoKracauer,andwhatdoesitmeanto
redeemit?
11.
Whyshouldafilmartistbeconcernedwithredeemingphysicalreality?
12.
Mr.HulotsHolidayisnotnecessarilymoreengagingorfunnierthanthetypicalHollywoodcomedy,butitisdefinitelymorecinematic,Kracauermaintains.Whyisitmorecinematic?
13.
Accidentsaretheverysoulofslapstick,Kracauermaintains(62).Explain.
14.
InwhatwaydoesGrouchoMarxswisecrackingdialogredeemphysicalreality?
15.
Somefunnythingsthatarenotparticularcinematic,Kracauersuggests,
whileotherfunnythingsare.Howcanyoutellwhichiswhich?
NolBurch,StructuresofAggression
16. Why(orwhen)issurpriseinamovieaggressive?
17.
Insimpleformalterms,howisshockoraggressioncreatedinamovie?
18.
HowisthissamestructureofaggressionreflectedintheSherlockJr.gag?InTexAveryssyncopatedrhythms?
19.
Howcancomedyredeemtaboobehaviors,liketakingascissorstosomebodystie,fakinganorgasminarestaurant,oreventhreateningtoblowuptheworldwithnuclearbombs?
AndrBazin,Mr.HulotandTime
20.
WhatswrongwiththePrevertscomedies,accordingtoBazin?Bycontrast,whatmustberightaboutTatis?
21.
DoesBazinthinkPlaytimeisfunnybecause(a)itshowsfunnythings,(b)it
showsordinarythingsinafunnyway,or(c)somecombination?HowisthisexemplifiedinTatisuseofsound?
22.
HowwouldMr.Hulotbelessfunnyordifferentlyfunnyifhisstoryweretold
withlotsofcloseupsandediting?
AndrBazin,CharlieChaplin
23.
Theactivityofasocialbeing,suchasyouorI,Bazinwrites,isplannedwithforesightandasitdevelops,itsdirectionischeckedbyconstantreferencetotherealitythatitisconcernedtoshape(151).ThekeytoChaplinscomedy,Bazinsuggests,isthathisLittleTrampdoesnotbehavethisway.Whatissofunnyaboutthat?(Youllhavetoreadthewholeessay.Theanswerisnotinanyoneparagraph,Imafraid.)
24. Howisthemediumofcinemaanaidtothiskindofhumor?
