Experimental Film Analysis Quiz

Recurring symbolic images in films within a genre, carrying consistent meaning across different films.

Film genre iconography can be categorized into film stars, settings, and objects each embodying meaning and symbolism.

A commodity masks its history, labor, meaning, and cultural significance through its presentation.

The commodity conceals the labor, stories, cultural significance, and emotional connections behind its production or use.

Canned pineapples represent a character's emotional state, hiding the depth behind a common product.

Fast food hides the personal stories and feelings of characters within the film.

Detailed examination of a scene, including location, cinematography techniques, editing style, and sound, to understand its meaning.

The interview in The 400 Blows is set in a clinical, isolated room, highlighting the protagonist's isolation.

A type of film form that focuses on visual and auditory elements like shape, color, rhythm, and texture to evoke aesthetic or emotional responses, often arranged in patterns.

A film form that relies on juxtaposing images and sounds to suggest symbolic or thematic connections, creating meaning through associations instead of a narrative.

"Life out of balance".

Hopi.

A cinematic technique where a shot of one character is followed by a shot of another, to maintain conversation.

A direct transition between two shots, maintaining a smooth flow and visual connection.

Compositional technique using mirrored imagery, often used to balance the shot.

High contrast (light and shadow) in a film shot to create dramatic and suspenseful effect.

A character with both positive and negative traits, reflecting real-life complexities. Their actions often raise moral questions.

When a character who appears heroic actually exhibits behaviors that challenge traditional heroic expectations, like violence or obsession.

Analyzing how a film uses or challenges the conventions of its genre, reflecting cultural trends and anxieties.

Creating a feeling of tension and fear through visual elements like lighting, music, and setting.

Breaking expectations by defying typical plot structures or character roles in a genre.

Focus on the internal psychological experiences of characters, delving into their motivations and fears.

Shared elements that define a genre, such as familiar tropes or stylistic techniques.

How films within a genre evolve or challenge its conventions, reflecting cultural changes or experimentation.

A psychoanalytic theory explaining a child's unconscious desire for their parent of the opposite sex and rivalry with the same-sex parent, leading to feelings of guilt and conflict.

A figure who takes on the role of a father, often providing guidance, support, and discipline in the absence of a biological father.

When a character actively resists or challenges figures of power or control, asserting their independence.

A cinematic perspective that objectifies women, positioning them as objects of male desire and control.

Unresolved issues and psychological conflicts that stem from childhood experiences and relationships, particularly with parents.

A scene where Cléo examines herself in the mirror while trying on hats.

A theoretical concept that describes how cinema positions the audience to view the world through the perspective of a heterosexual male, often objectifying women.

When a film subverts or disrupts the traditional male-oriented perspective, offering alternative viewpoints and representations.

Varda emphasizes Cléo's internal thoughts and feelings rather than presenting her as an object of male desire.

Using objects, actions, or characters to represent abstract ideas, emotions, or themes within a film.

Cléo is not just a passive subject controlled by men, but an individual with agency who questions societal expectations.

Cléo's relationships with other women provide alternative perspectives, challenging the male-dominated narrative.

Examining the elements of a film, including plot, characters, themes, cinematography, editing, sound, and symbolism, to understand its meaning and impact.

Citizen Kane uses psychoanalysis to show how a man is controlled by powerful father figures and his own desires.

A film that breaks from traditional conventions of narrative structure and realism, exploring new forms and techniques.

A film that uses pre-existing footage (like newsreels or home videos) to create a narrative or express ideas.

This film uses found footage from various sources to comment on how humans are drawn to dangerous activities and how films encourage this.

A film structure that relies on juxtaposing images and sounds to create thematic or symbolic meaning.

This is a visual comparison in 'Koyaanisqatsi' where humans are likened to mass-produced items, suggesting our lack of individuality.

Both symbolize humanity's drive to overcome limitations and reach new heights. The moon represents physical exploration, while buildings represent conquering gravity and shaping the land.

Both exhibit repetitive patterns: the moon's orbit around Earth, and humans' structured movements within a city's framework.

The film explores how technology, like the escalator, can control our movement and limit choices.