2. Learning Objectives
Identify Key
Theory:
Analyse the work
Auteur Theory
of Ridley Scott
Explore the
criteria for Auteur
status

3. Auteur
In 1962 Andre Bazin famously asked “What is
Cinema?”
Andrew Sarris, author of Notes on the Auteur
Theory (1962) answered with a question of his
own
“How do you tell a
He asked: genuine director from a
quasi-chimpanzee?
In the search for his answer he began to study
the concept of ‘Auteur director s’ - his work
became the first major attempt to put a
scientific spin on the value judgement of art

4. Sarris’s Auteur Theory
Interior meaning is
“Over a group of films,
According to ‘Notes on the Auteur’ extrapolated from the
a director must exhibit
Andrew Sarris claims the word Auteur tension between a
certain recurrent
has three meanings or criteria director’s personality
characteristics of style,
and his material…hisis
which serves as It
1. The director must have technical
not quite the vision of
signature. The way a
competence the world a director
film looks should have
projects nor quite his
some relationship to
2. Films must have characteristics that can
the way atoward
attitude director
link it with other films in his/her oeuvre life…the temperature of
thinks and feels”
the director on the set”
3. The films must display ‘interior
meaning’
Oeuvre: The complete
works of a painter,
composer, filmmaker

5. Genuine Director or
quasi-chimpanzee?
In answer to his question Sarris
attempted to create a more detailed An Auteur is a Director
criteria who also exclude their
own will over a film to
the points that they
He states:
become the author.
1. A film’s sensibilities can come from a
multitude of places (producers, social
concerns, personal issues etc)
1. A directors distinct psychology
permeates the work and becomes the
psychology of the piece – it is at this
point that the director becomes the
author

6. Auteur?
Using Andrew Sarris’s criteria for an auteur, make a list of three
directors you feel meet his criteria
Provide an example to support each of the following points:
A film’s sensibilities can
1. The director must have technical
come from a multitude of
competence places
2. Films must have characteristics that can
A directors distinct
link it with other films in his/her oeuvre psychology permeates
the work and becomes the
3. The films must display ‘interior
psychology of the piece
meaning’

7. ?

8. Interior Meaning?
Andrew Sarris states that an auteur is a director who moves
beyond technical achievement and into the circles of interior
meaning
Interior meaning is what the Auteur theory
hinges on! – and it is a difficult concept to
define
“...interior meaning, the ultimate glory of the
cinema as an art! Interior meaning is
extrapolated from the tension between a
director’s personality and his material”

9. Watch the following extracting and makes notes on the following:
How does Ridley Scott display his technical competence?
What characteristics link films with other films in his oeuvre?
What ‘Interior Meaning’ is identifiable in the work of Ridley Scott?
How is this meaning created from the tension between Ridley
Scott’s personality and his material?
“...interior meaning, the ultimate glory of the
cinema as an art! Interior meaning is
extrapolated from the tension between a
director’s personality and his material”

10. Interior Meaning?
Log on to the internet and research the work of Alfred Hitchcock
Complete your handout and identify the elements of his personality
and work contribute to his status as an Auteur

12. Learning Objectives
Apply the Auteur
theory to
Research
Hitchcock
Hitchcock’s
relationship with
women
Apply the Auteur
theory to Vertigo

13. “Spot-o on?”
“His (Hitchcock’s) particular life long fantasises
informed just about everyone of his motion
pictures – and alarmingly often, the frustration
of his romantic fantasies or his harbouring
violent ones sprang in to life. His movies were
consistently self revealing“
Donald Spoto
Author of
Watch the following clips from Hitchcock’s films Spellbound by
and consider this question: Beauty –
Hitchcock and
What do the extracts have in common? his leading
ladies
What do they reveal about Alfred Hitchcock?

14. Auteur Theory
We have previously established that, according to Andrew Sarris
we can identify an Auteur director from a 5 point criteria
As film students we must also be aware that
the auteur theory is a conceptual one, based
on our reading and understanding of a
particular directors oeuvre
Ultimately we must identify recurrent themes
in the directors work and also the personal
Form or content?
style of the director
What do you think ‘personal style consists of’? Story or Themes?
Genre or acting?

15. Hitchcock
Using the research you have carried out in previous lessons make
a list of the recurring themes in Hitchcock’s work
Obsession The Double /
The wrong man or
Doppelganger
woman
Punishment of women
Hitchcock Audience as
Birds Voyeur
Suspense
MacGuffin
Which of these are present in Vertigo?

16. Punishment of Women
“Hitchcock's women are outwardly immaculate, but full of
treachery and weakness. But, hurrah, he doesn't kill them all.
He just teaches them a thoroughly good lesson”
In what ways are women punished in Vertigo?
Make a list of scenes were this is evident
Make a list of the reasons why the women of Vertigo
are punished
Make a list of the different types of punishment they
endure and the scenes they are from

17. Punishment of Women
At a tribute gala one year before Hitchcock's death, Ingrid
Bergman, star of Notorious told him
“Some of us actors have ideas, and
then Hitch can become a little
truculent”
Rear Window star Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco
later said: Eager to argue or
fight; aggressively
defiant
“Sometimes he merely
wears actors down until he
gets what he wants”

18. Punishment of Women
Hitchcock himself had strong opinions
when it came to his actors:
“I never said all actors are cattle; what I said
was all actors should be treated like cattle!”
There is no doubt that he was enormously helpful in
the advancement of some careers. But he
was, equally often, unhelpful to himself when he was
unkind to people – especially to women, for whom he
had a strange amalgam of adoration and contempt
and whom he felt he could control in a way he dared
not attempt with men” Donald Spoto

19. Punishment of Women
Watch the following scenes and answer the following question:
How is this aspect of Hitchcock’s personality represented in
Vertigo?
How are the micro elements used to create a link between the
film and Hitchcock’s personality?
Final bell tower scene
The ethereal scene

20. Novak on Hitchcock
Vera Miles was originally cast as Madeleine/Judy
“Hitchcock however could never let go of his
resentment that his plans for Vera had been stymied”
Hitchcock said:
“The majority of actors are stupid children” he said
more than once, particularly in the context of
vertigo”
Donald Spoto
Think of Kim Novak! Author of
“In the second part of Vertigo when she is dark Spellbound by
Beauty –
haired and less like Kim Novak I even managed to get
Hitchcock and
her to act. But the only reason I took he was because his leading
Vera Miles was pregnant” ladies

21. Once cast, Novak acknowledged:
“Before shooting started Hitchcock sent me over
to Edith Head, who showed me a set of drawings.
When I saw them, the very first thing I said was “I
am sorry I don’t wear black shoes”.”.
Edith Head (costume designer):
“Alfred Hitchcock wants you to
wear these shoes”
“And I said “I am sure he doesn’t mind””

22. “I didn’t think it would matter to
him what kind of shoes I wore. I had
never had a director who was
particular about the costumes, the
way they were designed. The
specific colours.
The two things he wanted the most
were those shoes and that grey suit.
When Edith Head showed me the
grey suit, I said “OH! MY! GOD! –
that looks like it would be very hard
to act in – it is very confining”.

23. Then we had the 1st fitting of the Black dress
and that was even worse and I said “This is so
restrictive”. And Edith Head said
Well maybe you had better talk
to Hitch about all this!”

24. Hitchcock recalls the encounter and
states:
“Miss Novak arrived with all sorts of preconceived
notions that I could not possibly go a long with. I do
not like to argue with a performer – there is no
reason to bring the electricians in on our troubles.
So I went o her dressing room and told her about
the dresses and hairdos that I had been planning
for several months!”

25. “Vertigo is a testament to Alfred
Hitchcock’s life long fascination for
making over actresses according to
his dream ideal of blonde
perfection. He supervised
everything about their
presentations on screen, from hair
styles to wardrobes, from make up
to shoes, from camera angles to Donald Spoto
the final cut” Author of
Spellbound by
Beauty – Hitchcock
and his leading
ladies

26. In a conversation with Novak after
the final scene had been shot Stewart
said to her:
“He made you didn’t he!”
Stewart Shouts at Novak at the finale, referring to the
man who “created” Madeleine from Judy.
“He made you over just like I made you over – only
better. Not only the clothes and the hair, but the
looks and the manner and the words. And then
what did he do? Did he train you? Did he rehearse
you? Did he actually tell you what to do and what
to say? You were a very apt pupil weren’t you? You
were a VERY apt pupil!”

27. Samuel Taylor (Writer)
“I could tell it was a very personal film even
whilst he was making it – anyone who saw him
during the making of it could see as I did that
this was a story he felt very deeply indeed
about ”

28. Punishment of Women
Watch the following scene and make notes on the following:
How is Hitchcock’s own relationship with Madeleine played out
on screen?
What do we learn about Hitchcock through the
cinematography?
In what ways has your knowledge of the Auteur theory and
Hitchcock’s relationships with his female stars enhanced or
informed your understanding of Vertigo?

29. Punishment of Women
Like Stewart in Vertigo Hitchcock chose fantasy
over reality and for this, the medium was perfect,
for the carefully designed beauty of an actress is
itself Illusory
Hitchcock is reflected in the character of Scottie
through his construction of the ideal women
through Madeleine
As we watch Scottie break down and re-mould
Madeleine in a perfect image we must remember
Hitchcock is directing and creating this image.
His own personality is exposed on screen and
provides a much deep understanding of Scottie,
Madeleine and the film itself

30. Understanding Vertigo
Make a series of revision cards for revision
Pick one scene
Apply at least one critical debate to the scene
Provide a short but detailed explanation of how
the application of critical debate has enhanced
your understanding of the film
Swap plans with a partner and compare it with
your own work
Take this time to exchange notes with your
partner

31. Understanding Vertigo
Using the notes from today’s lesson and your
handouts and make a detailed essay plan for the
following question:
How has your study of critical debates (Auteur
theory) informed and enhanced your
understanding of Vertigo?
Swap plans with a partner and compare it with
your own work
Take this time to exchange notes with your
partner

32. Revision Cards
Working in pairs you are to make a series of revision cards that
will used by your class mates
The cards must relate to the following question:

33. Revision Cards
Pick a Theme / topic
E.g.
Re-Construction of Women
Apply the following Critical debates to the topic
Male Gaze Psychoanalysis Auteur
You MUST include:
1. Scene Textual Analysis
2. Links to theory
3. Analysis

34. Revision Cards

35. Revision Cards