First Midterm Flashcards
(75 cards)
1
Q
What is the definition of Genre?
A
Type or kind; a group of films with common elements
There are no hard and fast rules for defining genre.
2
Q
According to Rick Altman, what are the four components of Genre?
A
- Blueprint = Main Idea
- Structure = Specifics
- Label = Branding to sell
- Contract = Audience Expectations
3
Q
What are the key elements of genre?
A
- Theme
- Setting
- Presentation
- Story Formulas
- Character Types
4
Q
How are major film genres defined?
A
- Emotional Effect
- Content
- Theme
- Setting
- Character
- Critics
5
Q
Name two subgenres of Comedy.
A
- Slapstick
- Romantic
- Gross-out
6
Q
What is genre hybridity?
A
The blending of elements from different genres
7
Q
What is a Cycle in film genres?
A
A specific period of popularity of a genre
8
Q
What are genre conventions?
A
- Sets
- Settings
- Props
- Motifs
- Characters
- Themes
- Visual Iconography
9
Q
What is the definition of Motion Pictures?
A
Projected images that give the illusion of movement
10
Q
What are the three components of Cinema?
A
- Moving
- Pictures
- Projection
11
Q
What were the precursors to film?
A
- The Image: Still Photography
- Projection: magic lanterns
- Motion: Visual toys (e.g., zoetrope)
12
Q
What significant event in film history occurred in 1895?
A
The Lumiere Bros. Screening at Grand Cafe, Paris
13
Q
What type of films did Georges Melies create?
A
Fiction Films with exciting fantasies, special effects, and elaborate sets
14
Q
What year marks the transition to narrative films?
A
1903
15
Q
What significant advancement in film occurred in 1927?
A
Synchronized sound with ‘The Jazz Singer’
16
Q
Define Cinematography.
A
The art of photographing and lighting scenes for film
17
Q
What is a Shot in film terminology?
A
A single uninterrupted take made by a camera
18
Q
What is a Scene?
A
A series of shots that comprise a single dramatic action
19
Q
What is a Sequence in film?
A
A series of scenes intercut to form a distinct narrative unit
20
Q
What camera movement involves zooming in on a character?
A
Zoom
21
Q
What does the term ‘Film Noir’ refer to?
A
A mood, movement, and style characterized by a specific look and dark context
22
Q
What was the first classic Film Noir?
A
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
23
Q
What is the significance of the year 1944-48 in Film Noir?
A
The heyday of classic Film Noir
24
Q
What distinguishes Neo Noir from classic Film Noir?
A
Solidified into a genre in the 1970s and beyond
25
What does the Star System in Hollywood refer to?
The practice of promoting actors as stars under studio contracts
26
Who was considered the first star of the film industry?
Florence Lawrence, known as The Biograph Girl
27
What is a 'Bankable Star'?
A performer that attracts audiences
28
What is the Bechdel Test?
A measure of representation of women in film that requires:
* At least two women
* Must talk to each other
* Must not talk about a man
29
What are the three conventions of a Musical?
* Music
* Song
* Dance
30
What is the difference between Integrated and Non-Integrated musicals?
* Integrated: Songs advance plot; flow from dialogue
* Non-Integrated: Stand-alone numbers, loosely connected
31
What film marked the rise of the Nickelodeon?
1905
32
What are the defining elements of film stardom according to Richard Dyer?
* Constructed representations of persons
* Social types
33
What is the significance of the term 'Star Fit'?
The alignment of a star's persona with their film role
34
What does Feminist Film Theory focus on?
The representation of women in visual media
35
Define 'The Male Gaze' as described by Laura Mulvey.
The concept that men are the active lookers, and women are passive objects
36
What does Judith Butler argue about sex and gender?
Gender is culturally determined and performative, not natural
37
What does the term 'Hardboiled Fiction' refer to?
A genre characterized by tough, cynical characters and moral ambiguity
38
39
What did Maxim Gorky refer to the world of cinema as?
the Kingdom of Shadows
40
What technological medium do most audiences experience movies through today?
digital code translated into light and color
41
Name one criticism and one praise regarding cinema.
* Criticism: escapist entertainment
* Praise: imaginative art form
42
What is one premise of the critical approach to film discussed in the text?
Moviegoers who learn to analyze films enhance their experience
43
What does critical reading in film analysis involve?
Examining and questioning a film’s organization and visual style
44
What are the major elements of film art that the text aims to help readers identify?
Elements that work together to produce meaning
45
How did technological advances in photography contribute to cinema?
Established the basis for recording moving images on film
46
Who developed the Kinetograph and Kinetoscope?
Thomas Edison and William Dickson
47
What type of films did the Lumière brothers create?
actualités (the earliest documentary films)
48
What was the significance of nickelodeons in the film industry?
Neighborhood theaters that charged 5 cents for admission
49
What model of production became dominant in the U.S. film industry?
the studio system
50
What impact did television have on the film industry?
Competition for audiences and changes in viewing habits
51
How has digital technology influenced filmmaking?
Made filmmaking technologies more accessible to consumers
52
What is the current industry standard for commercial movies?
Shot on digital formats
53
What did the president of the MPAA predict about digital presentation and 3D?
They hold the promise of a dramatic game change in moviemaking
54
What film reignited interest in 3D technology?
Avatar (2009)
55
True or False: The demand for celluloid film has decreased significantly.
False
56
Fill in the blank: Mobile imagemakers are developing _______ principles that evolve with each generation of cell phone cameras.
aesthetic
57
What film was shot entirely on an iPhone 5S?
Tangerine (2015)
58
What cultural event did Sony Pictures' The Interview provoke?
International controversy with North Korea
59
What significant issue did the Sony Pictures hack expose?
Discrepancy between male and female salaries in the industry
60
What debate was triggered by Sony's decision to halt the film’s theatrical release?
Stifling of free expression
61
What effect did the release of production details have on public perception?
It revealed the stark discrepancy between male and female salaries within the industry, provoking a heated public debate about the devaluation of female labor.
62
What was the public's reaction to Sony halting the theatrical release of a film?
It triggered a public debate regarding the stifling of free expression.
63
What were the contrasting opinions about the film 'The Interview'?
Some argued it was a bold satire of masculinity, while others dismissed it as juvenile fantasy.
64
What does the episode surrounding 'The Interview' demonstrate about cinema?
It is influential as a mode of storytelling, integral to the global economy, emblematic of nationalism vs. globalism tensions, and an artifact of broader sociocultural dynamics.
65
What major shift occurred in the film franchises 'Mad Max' and 'Star Wars'?
They shifted focus away from male to female protagonists.
66
What was the public response to the inclusion of a black hero in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'?
Angry fans complained that these changes undermined the essence of the fictional universes.
67
How did 'Black Panther' impact the film industry?
It became a cultural phenomenon and broke box office records.
68
What made 'Black Panther' notable in terms of representation?
It was the first film to feature a black superhero as the central protagonist with an almost entirely black supporting cast and production team.
69
What elements contributed to the cultural significance of 'Black Panther'?
* Bold display of Afrocentrism * Costume design influenced by African fashion * Soundtrack by Kendrick Lamar * Score incorporating African instruments and rhythms * Story addressing white colonialism
70
What was the significance of 'Moonlight' winning the Best Picture Oscar?
It was the first movie with an all African-American cast and the first LGBTQ-themed film to win.
71
What was the production budget of 'Moonlight' compared to 'Batman v Superman'?
'Moonlight' was filmed with a budget of $1.5 million, while 'Batman v Superman' had a budget of $250 million plus $165 million for marketing.
72
What was the cultural significance of the Oscars snafu involving 'Moonlight'?
It sparked discussions about Hollywood's recognition of diverse filmmakers and the impact of the mix-up on 'Moonlight's' moment in the spotlight.
73
True or False: Movies do not influence public discourse.
False
74
Why do movies still matter in society?
* They provoke debate about whose stories are told * Underrepresented groups see themselves on screen * Some films become international events * They shape how we think, talk, and behave in the world
75
Fill in the blank: 'Moonlight' became a phenomenon even before it achieved what many thought would be impossible: winning the _______.
Best Picture Oscar
