French Impressionism and Surrealism

During the silent era, most of the films are silent, it means without dialogue. But the French created two things for changing the Classic Hollywood Style. These are Impressionism and Surrealism. For better understanding, Impressionism is a practice in the film industry where it express or develop one's subjective response to an actual experience which give a very good style within the film industry but Surrealism give largely impact outside the film industry. 

An Impressionist's Film









Because of the World War I, the French Film industry started to fall, many film studios were used for wartime and the production films were abrupt but the French film industry never gave up by that time, they regained their audiences and viewers by acting like the Hollywood style and production. Some directors that are mentioned in the article believe that a cinema is an art that can be compared to music, paintings and even poetry. But a cinema should should stand up for itself. 

A film can be considered as Impressionist if the presence of these characteristics are there, the psychological narrative, subjective camera work, and the editing. It is also called as Impressionist because of its interest in narration that concerns to character's psychological depth and consciousness. It does not fall on physical behavior but more of internal or inner actions. It focus on depicting the character's dreams, flashbacks, memories and other mental states.

According to David Bordwell, Impressionist films used irises, masks and superimpositions that function as traces of characters’ thoughts and feelings. The subjectivity of camera work was present to characters’ perceptual experience. With coordination of its editing the film became more impressionist style and show more a psychological narrative as the film edited with rhythm. This was also the time when technological innovation was developed of new means of frame mobility.

On my own understanding of what Surrealism is, I think it focus on how they will confused and give a shocking effects to their audiences. They are anti- narrative and it attacked casuality itself. In my observation, I think it is a non continuity story, it's hard for me to understand the sequence of the film. 

The Impressionism and Surrealism may be a little bit confusing but still they marked on the film industry which helps the industry to be more productive and these movements will still remain in the life of every people who knew and watched an Impressionist and Surrealist Films.

A Surrealist's Film