Wim Wenders, one of the key figures of New German Cinema, a movement similar to the
“Nouvelle Vague” in some ways, is of another generation than Fellini and Godard. In his film “Der Stand der Dinge” (1982) he literally commutes between the two poles of his
filmmaking, Europe and the US. The film begins in Portugal, where a film crew is forced to
stop shooting and ends at the place where all the great cinema myths arise, Hollywood.
Wenders’ film is an attempt by a young filmmaker to find a stable creative position in
unstable times. (Wenders had just experienced great difficulties in making “Hammett” (1982)
in the US). In “Der Stand der Dinge” this is exemplified by the direct inclusion of his own
thoughts about European and American filmmaking, images and stories, and black-andwhite
and colour film stock, opposites that are not harmoniously resolved at the end.
Among the three films discussed Wenders’ film within the film is the only one not
completed, suggesting an unsure future for the cinema.
In examining these three films, I shall focus on the following aspects: 6
• In what way does the film reflect on the history of motion pictures (references to it)?
• What attitude does the filmmaker have concerning the artificial-illusionist elements of
his profession/product?
• How does the filmmaker deal with the narrative and filmic conventions of his
profession?
• What does the film tell us about the film director’s artistic and working style. Does
“life imitates art” in these films?
• To which extent can autobiographic elements be found in these films and can any
parallels between the director in the film and the director of the film be drawn?
• How can the film be classified in the oeuvre of the director? Does it mark the end of
one phase of his work and/or lead into a new one?
• How is the “film within the film” plot accomplished?
Finally, all three films will be compared with each other with regard to the above
mentioned questions which will then lead to a final assessment of the self-reflexivity ,
explored in these films.
[...]
Table of Contents
Introduction
Federico Fellini: “8 ½” (1963)
Jean Luc Godard: “Le Mepris” (1963)
Wim Wenders: “Der Stand der Dinge” (1982)
Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This dissertation examines the concept of self-reflexivity in European Auteur Cinema through the lens of three seminal films that explicitly deal with the process of filmmaking. It explores how Federico Fellini, Jean-Luc Godard, and Wim Wenders utilize the "film within the film" device to navigate the tension between artistic vision and industrial commercialism, while reflecting on the director's identity and the nature of cinematic truth.
- The evolution of the "film about film" and its role in European Auteur Cinema.
- The conflict between creative authorship (the "Auteur") and the economic constraints of the studio system.
- The breakdown of the distinction between reality, memory, and fantasy in self-reflexive narratives.
- Techniques of anti-illusionism and the application of Brechtian distancing devices in modern cinema.
Excerpt from the Book
Jean Luc Godard: “Le Mepris” (1963)
Jean Luc Godard’s “Le Mepris” has a different focus than “8 ½”. It does not concentrate exclusively on one person but on five people involved with the filmic adaptation of the Odyssey: Fritz Lang, the German director, who plays himself, Jerry Prokosch (Jack Palance), a crass American producer, Paul Javal (Michel Piccoli), the French screenwriter hired by Prokosch to rewrite parts of the script, Javal’s wife Camille (Brigitte Bardot) and a translator (Giorgia Moll). During the two days of shooting in Rome and in Capri, the “contempt” of the title grows between the collaborators, as wells as between the married couple. Godard, commenting on the subject of “Le Mepris” said: “I have put in the film some of my thoughts about cinema and in addition the story of a couple.”
From the first shot, the film refers to its own making. We see the technical crew and Raoul Coutard, the cinematographer of “Le Mepris”, with his camera on tracks, shooting Giorgia Moll, who plays the role of the translator and Prokoschs assistant Francesca Vanini. This first tracking shot anticipates the frequent use of the cinematic technique throughout the film. No written credits can be seen, but a male voice-over names the actors and the main collaborates of the film – one of many ways, as we will see, that Godard breaks with the cinematic conventions and undercuts the expectations of the spectator.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides a historical overview of the evolution of the artist’s self-consciousness, from the Renaissance to the emergence of the "film about film" as a distinct subject in 20th-century cinema.
Federico Fellini: “8 ½” (1963): Analyzes Fellini’s personal crisis as a director and how the film functions as an autobiographical "film within the film," where fantasy and memory merge to challenge the boundary between reality and fiction.
Jean Luc Godard: “Le Mepris” (1963): Examines the collision between artistic vision and commercial demands through the lens of Godard’s Brechtian distancing techniques and the meta-cinematic portrayal of a troubled film production.
Wim Wenders: “Der Stand der Dinge” (1982): Discusses Wenders' reflection on the "Auteur" experience in Hollywood and the reconciliation of American and European filmmaking styles, culminating in an ending that marks the death of the idealistic artist-auteur.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, highlighting how all three directors use self-reflexivity to express their auteurist visions while navigating the inherent contradictions of industrial film production.
Keywords
Auteur cinema, self-reflexivity, filmmaking, Federico Fellini, Jean-Luc Godard, Wim Wenders, Hollywood, commercialism, anti-illusionism, autobiography, Brecht, meta-cinema, film history, narrative.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this dissertation?
The work explores how self-reflexive European Auteur Cinema functions as a medium for directors to examine their own profession, critique the commercial film industry, and express personal artistic visions.
What are the central thematic fields?
The key themes include the tension between art and commerce, the autobiographical nature of film, the subversion of narrative conventions, and the history of cinematic representation.
What is the central research question?
The research investigates how the "film within the film" device is used to challenge the illusionist nature of cinema and reflect on the changing status of the director in a globalized film market.
Which methodology is applied?
The study employs a close examination of specific film texts, conducting formal and structural analyses to demonstrate how directors like Fellini, Godard, and Wenders break narrative and stylistic conventions.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The analysis focuses on three specific case studies: Fellini’s “8 ½” (crisis and autobiography), Godard’s “Le Mepris” (Brechtian distancing and commercial conflict), and Wenders’ “Der Stand der Dinge” (European vs. American styles).
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Keywords include Auteur cinema, self-reflexivity, autobiography, industrial film production, anti-illusionism, and narrative subversion.
How does “8 ½” distinguish itself from the other films?
Unlike the other films, which are deeply rooted in film history, “8 ½” is primarily an internal, autobiographical exploration of a director’s creative block and his personal relationship with his own memories and fantasies.
How does Godard use “Le Mepris” to critique the Hollywood system?
Godard utilizes Brechtian "distancing devices," such as subverting the 180-degree rule and using long takes, to expose the film’s construction and protest against the "dictatorial" nature of American commercial producers.
- Quote paper
- Jürgen Tobisch (Author), 2003, Film within Film - Self reflexivity in European Auteur Cinema, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/115227
