CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY: STYLE AS A FORMAL SYSTEM
IM – 8 | 1
CHAPTER 8
SUMMARY: STYLE AND FILM FORM
Chapter Outline
The Concept of Style
Decision Making: Techniques Working Together
Watching and Listening: Style and the Viewer
Analyzing Style
1. What is the Film’s Overall Form?
2. What Are the Main Techniques Being Used?
3. What Patterns Are Formed by the Techniques?
4. What Functions Do the Techniques and Patterns Fulfill?
A Closer Look: Stylistic Synthesis in Shadow of a Doubt
Style in Citizen Kane
Mystery and the Penetration of Space
Style and Narration: Restriction and Objectivity
Style and Narration: Omniscience
Narrative Parallels: Settings
Parallels: Other Techniques
A Convincing Newsreel
Plot Time through Editing
A Closer Look: Gravity; Film Style in the Digital Age
Summary
Teaching “Summary: Style and Film Form”
CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY: STYLE AS A FORMAL SYSTEM
Once the students have finished this chapter, they should be ready to analyze every
aspect of a film on their own. They have been introduced to the different types of film
and the characteristic types of form that are used to shape whole films. They also know
all the individual techniques that go into the making of the scene-by-scene progression
of the film within those formal systems.
Lecturing On and Discussing Style and Film Form
Since this chapter is intended as a summary, you may teach it in a number of ways.
session.
Another alternative is to use this chapter as a lead-in to your assignment of a term
paper. In this case, you could have a discussion session that concentrates on the film
shown for the week, then ends with a short period in which your students can ask
questions about the nature of the paper assignment.
Assigning a Paper on Style and Film Form
In assigning a paper relating to Chapter 8, there are two fundamental options. You can
ask the students to choose a film and write only on its style, using the analyses in this
chapter as models. Assuming, however, that you are assigning only one term paper in
your class, you might prefer a more comprehensive analytical paper that includes the