Tuesday, April 2, 2019

BSA106-Surrealist Film Slideshow notes

Background / Dada

Surrealism was an European artisitc/cultural movement staring in the 1920's.
Prominent in painting, literature and cinema. Evolved out of Dada (1916-1922) 

Dada (nonsensical word) was a protest against everything. Arising after and commenting on the stupidity of WW1. Dada was anti rational, humorous, deliberately shocking and anti art.

The origin of surrealism, it was founded as a movement in 1924 by Andre Breton who was a major member of the Dada group.

Andre Breton drafted the Surrealist Manifesto declaring surrealism as - "Pure psychic automatism, by which an attempt is made to express, either verbally, in writing or in any other manner, the true functioning of thought. The Dictation of thought, in the absence of all control by the reason, excluding any aesthetic or moral preoccupation

Movement= use of shocking, irrational, or absurd imagery and Freudian dream symbolism, to challenge the traditional function of art to represent reality.  

Filmmakers rejected conventional narrative forms, attempted to disrupt narrative conventions, mixing them all around until nothing made conventional sense. 

Aimed to derange meaning,  upset, disorientate and shock.

Image rather than word.

Wanted to liberate Western culture from tyranny and repression of reason and reveal the true nature of reality. 

Surrealist Filmmakers:

  • Luis Bunuel
  • Salvador Dali
  • Jean Cocteau, director, poet, novelist, painter, playwright, set designer and actor.
  • Man Ray, American to play major role in both Dada and Surrealist movements
  • Maya Deren

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