Discuss the origins and basic tenets of the auteur theory of criticism

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: The ideal answer should include:
1. In the mid-1950s, the French journal Cahiers du Cinéma revolutionized film criticism with its concept of la politique des auteurs, put forth by the young critic François Truffaut.
2. Truffaut and his colleagues proposed that the greatest movies are dominated by the personal vision of the director.
3. A filmmaker’s “signature” can be perceived through an examination of his or her total output, which is characterized by a unity of theme and style.
4. The writer’s contribution is less important than the director’s because subject matter is artistically neutral. It can be treated with brilliance or bare competence. Movies ought to be judged on the basis of how, not what.
5. Like other formalists, the auteur critics claimed that what makes a good film is not the subject matter as such, but its stylistic treatment. The director dominates the treatment, provided he or she is a strong director, an auteur.