Research Project


 
In a 1954 essay, “Une Certaine Tendance of Cinema Francaise” (“A Certain Tendency of French Cinema”), film critic and director François Truffaut introduced his Auteur Theory. In essence, it held that it is the director who should be regarded as the primary creative force behind a film. In other words, the director is the "author" of their film, in the same way a writer is the primary creator of a literary work. As the “author,” a director’s aesthetic, worldview, and recurring themes so permeate a film that it ultimately bears his or her distinctive mark. (Obviously, this flew in the face of the highly collaborative nature of filmmaking, which involves everyone from scriptwriters to actors to makeup artists.) Still, not all directors were considered auteurs. As American critic Andrew Sarris put it, “The strong director imposes his own personality on a film; the weak director allows the personalities of others to run rampant.” Thus, auteurship was reserved for those directors whose artistic vision leaves a distinct and indelible imprint on their oeuvre (body of work).
The Directors:
  1. Pedro Almodóvar: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), Volver (2006), The Skin I Live In (2011)
  2. Wes Anderson: The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2005), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
  3. Judd Apatow: The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), This is 40 (2012), Trainwreck (2015)
  4. Kathryn Bigelow: Point Break (1991), The Hurt Locker (2008), Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
  5. Tim Burton: Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985), Batman (1989), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
  6. James Cameron: The Terminator (1984), Titanic (1997), Avatar (2009)
  7. Jane Campion: The Piano (1993), Holy Smoke! (1999), The Power of the Dog (2021)
  8. John Carpenter: Halloween (1977), Escape from New York (1981), The Thing (1982)
  9. Bill Condon: Gods and Monsters (1998), Chicago, (2002), Dreamgirls (2006)
  10. Ryan Coogler: Fruitvale Station (2013), Black Panther (2018), Sinners (2025)
  11. Francis Ford Coppola: The Godfather (1972), The Outsiders (1983), Megalopolis (2024)
  12. Sofia Coppola: The Virgin Suicides (1999), Lost in Translation (2003), Priscilla (2023)
  13. Alfonso Cuarón: Y tu mama tambien (2000), Gravity (2013), Roma (2018)
  14. Guillermo del Toro: Cronos (1992), Pan’s Labrynth (2006), The Shape of Water (2017)
  15. Robert Eggers: The Witch (2015), The Lighthouse (2019), Nosferatu (2024)
  16. David Fincher: Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), Gone Girl (2014)
  17. Greta Gerwig: Lady Bird (2017), Little Women (2019), Barbie (2023)
  18. Luca Guadagnino: Call Me By Your Name (2017), Queer (2024), Challengers (2024)  
  19. Alejandro González Iñárritu: Amores perros (2000), Babel (2006), The Revenant (2015)
  20. Bong Joon-ho: Mother (2009), Snowpiercer (2013), Parasite (2019)
  21. Ang Lee: Sense and Sensibility (1995), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Brokeback Mountain (2004)
  22. Spike Lee: Do the Right Thing (1989), Malcolm X (1992), BlacKkKlansman (2018)
  23. Nancy Meyers: Something’s Gotta Give (2003), The Holiday (2006), It’s Complicated (2009)
  24. Hayao Miyazaki: Castle in the Sky (1986), Spirited Away (2001), The Boy and the Heron (2023)
  25. Mira Nair: Mississippi Masala (1991), Monsoon Wedding (2001), The Namesake (2006)
  26. Christopher Nolan: Memento (2000), Dunkirk (2017), Oppenheimer (2023)
  27. Alexander Payne: Election (1999), Sideways (2004), The Holdovers (2023)
  28. Jordan Peele: Get Out (2017), Us (2019), Nope (2022)
  29. The Safdie Brothers: Heaven Knows What (2014), Good Time (2017), Uncut Gems (2019)
  30. Martin Scorsese: Mean Streets (1970), Taxi Driver (1976), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
  31. Steven Spielberg: Jaws (1975), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Lincoln (2012)
  32. Quentin Tarantino: Pulp Fiction (1994), Kill Bill, Vol. I (2003/Kill Bill, Vol. II (2004), Inglorious Bastards (2009)
  33. Chloé Zhao: Nomadland (2020), Eternals (2021), Hamnet (2025)

Your two-part research project will A. explore and evaluate three singular works by a director, and B. determine whether or not they worthy of the label of “auteur.”  
 
  • Part 1 – Your Case For or Against: In a six-to-eight-page paper, you must present an argument for, or against, your director’s auteurship. You may focus on any aspect of your director’s personal or professional life, as well as any technical components of his or her films (e.g. mise-en-scène, themes, etc.). You may also consider other works by your director (e.g. other films, commercials, music videos, short films, etc.), but your primary focus must be on these three films. Remember, it is not enough to simply declare your director as an auteur or not. You must present a solid and logical case, using specific evidence garnered from your research, as to why, or why not, this director deserves the designation of “auteur.” Remember to include a “brief” overview of what Auteur Theory is.
  • Part 2 – The Visual Companion: In an up-to-eight-slide presentation, you will visually highlight your director’s three films as they pertain to their oeuvre. This presentation should a broad overview of his or her filmography, but the primary focus should be on their three primary films. Here, you are presenting the evidence of your analysis. Again, you may consider supplementary works, including non-film projects (e.g. other films, commercials, music videos, short films, etc.), but their three films must remain the centerpiece of the showcase. Additionally, your presentation must also contain short clips of all three films.

Requirements: 

Part 1 – Your Case For or Against

  • Six-to-eight (6-8) pages in length, not including works cited
  • MLA Style, including works cited
  • A minimum of six (6) outside sources—not counting IMDB and/or Wikipedia
  • Should be properly edited and proofread

Part 2 – The Visual Companion

  • Up-to-eight (8) slides in length, not including cover slide and works cited
  • Include short clips of each of the three films in your examination
  • MLA Style works cited slide
  • Should be properly edited and proofread

The best projects will: Have a clear thesis to guide its analysis

  • Include a brief explanation of Auteur Theory
  • Contain an in-depth analysis of the director's oeuvre, particularly focusing on three primary films
  • Feature a solid argument, built on evidence, in favor (or not) of their director’s classification as an auteur

A sample outline can be found HERE. A sample presentation can be found HERE.

Notes: 

  • Given the extended length of the written portion, you might consider the use of subtitles.
  • Keep in mind that not all of a director’s “imprints” might be left consciously. It is said that a work of art is often a subconscious reflection of the artist. Therefore, a study of your director’s personal life is key.
  • Feel free to take risks. You will not be penalized for a theory that doesn’t ultimately pan out, if you lay it out logically and with appropriate evidence. Playing it safe, however, may cost you. 
  • Auteur Theory is exactly that, a theory. Therefore, it is fair to question it—and many critics and filmmakers have. Many have taken issue with the notion that a director should get full credit for a film that dozens, if not hundreds, have contributed to. While you may question Auteur Theory, be careful not to make that the focus of your paper. You are tasked with demonstrating why your director is or isn’t an auteur, not questioning the legitimacy of Auteur Theory. 
  • When discussing films, keep the summary to a minimum. This paper should be more about deconstructing its components than an emphasis on summarizing. Remember not to waste time (and space) highlighting aspects of a film that won’t help your final argument. 

Dates: Mon 5.12 (via Canvas)

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