The various branches of film theory analyze the world of cinema from a unique perspective. Bela Balazs, in ‘Visible Man, or the Culture of Film,’ goes into detail about the many advantages of a visual narrative. He lists many pros of watching a story rather than reading about it. Balazs views cinema as a groundbreaking art medium with the potential to transform human culture and the ways in which we receive and interpret information. Malcolm Turvey in ‘Balázs: Realist or Modernist?’ introspects the multiple film theorists with regards to realist and modernist theory of film. Turvey also offers a summary or analysis of Balazs observations on the world of cinema. Turvey explores whether as a film theorist, Balazs lies in the domain of realists or modernists.
In the chapter ‘Balázs: Realist or Modernist?’ Malcolm Turvey discusses the major distinctions between realist and modernist film theory. According to Turvey, the proponents of the realist film theory suggest that film should be a representation of reality, not its manipulation. Realist film theory believes that reality is sufficient as it is to be portrayed through the camera to the world. It also supports the view that there should be little modification or manipulation of situations, characters, or events to stay true to reality as it is. The film theory of modernism, on the other hand, focuses on the cinematic techniques used to enhance the mood, circumstances, and events within the film. “…if a filmmaker wishes to create a work of art, he cannot simply reproduce what is in front of the camera. Rather, he must express something about what is in front of the camera using uniquely cinematic techniques.” (Turvey 85). For instance, close-up shots, long shots, pan shots, flashbacks, slow motion, and other types of cinematic techniques used to highlight a certain emotion of the character or aspect of a story favored by the modernist film theory. Turvey’s distinction between realist and modernist film theory helps to understand the variances in cinema more fully.
Balazs in the chapter ‘Visible Man, or the Culture of Film’ directs the attention towards the revelatory capacity of cinema. According, to Balazs cinema has opened a new world of understanding and sensibility to the human cultural world. In this way, cinema is not merely a product of the culture but also a contributor to the creation and modification of said culture. As Turvey explains in his chapter, Balazs theory of film related to new ways of sensory exploration and depiction through cinema. Balazs believed that before cinema the realm of print culture became the predominant method of communicating ideas and information which ultimately led to a disregard for humans primarily being physiological and sensory organisms. As Turvey explains, Balazs believed that the world of cinema had the capability to override this ‘word culture’ by opening up new avenues of human perception and cognition. Turvey also points out that Balazs attributed the loss of sensory exploration to the rational and scientific thinking prominent in modern culture. “…modern form of consciousness that is overly “rationalistic” and intrinsically divorced from the senses, the body, and nature in general.” (Turvey 82). Balazs, thus, views cinemas as an avenue into new domains of human language that are not dictated through written language but rather bring in the experiences of human beings from other sources like sensory input and sensibility.
I accept Balazs’s claim as presented by Turvey that “…the invention of the cinema be an epochal transformation for the better in human existence.” (Turvey 86). The reason for this is that I find the arguments made by Balazs to be highly compelling. Balazs is right in pointing out that the written word can never match a visual experience. For instance, Balazs points out that the tempo of emotions that can be presented through a visual shot in a film is superior to how it can be described in a book. A description of a highly complex and rapid progression of feelings and emotions would take many pages to be fully described yet in a film the same effect can be achieved in a few seconds or minutes. (Balazs 73). Thus, the tempo of the film, as a representational medium of emotions, matches the tempo of the emotions of the character making the whole experience more intense and engaging.
The strength of Balazs’s argument also lies in the fact, that visual narrative is more readily consumed by the human mind, than the written word. The imagination of human beings is primarily a visual experience, which means that the human mind is more receptive to visual imagery. Moreover, there is a huge difference between reading about a facial expression or physical gesture and watching it with your own eyes. Balazs is right in pointing out that the world of cinema opens a whole new dimension of the exploration of how humans communicate without, the use of language. By observing and analyzing bodily gestures, physical expressions, sound, music, and other aspects of cinema the human culture will undergo a massive cultural experience in which the world of sensory data, once again, gains dominance.
Alfred Hitchcock’s movie ‘The Lodger,’ is an excellent example of showcasing how visuals can be powerful in highlighting the thought processes of the characters. The use of the glass or ‘translucent’ ceiling in the movie was a cinematic innovation that, visually and narratively, engaged the attention of the audience. Hitchcock uses other cinematic techniques as well in the film, such as mise-en-scene and German expressionism which supports the views promoted by Balazs of cinema being a transformative art form. ‘The Lodger’ is a silent film and yet it is equally beautiful and powerful as any novel or film that has words. Here again, I find Balazs words to ring true as Hitchcock’s wonderful film translates into an exceptional cinematic experience by paying attention to the world of senses. There is something very rewarding about getting to know a story only through visual pictures without the aid of spoken language.
In his work, Balazs puts great emphasis on the importance of close-ups. The close-ups can help the audience to view a singular point of view. A close-up pulls out one image from the whole scene to highlight the significance of that person, activity, or object. Balazs also states that the close-up is the director’s way of directing the gaze of the audience toward a single point of focus. We see many such instances of close-ups in Hitchcock’s ‘The Lodger’ that heightens the sense of thrill, drama, mystery, and emotions of the scene. Needless to say, the impact of the movie will be greatly reduced without the aid of close-ups. This also falls in line with Balazs claim that the cinematic experience can bring a transformation in human culture by changing the way that they perceive and interpret visuals. For instance, mimicking popular scenes and actions from a movie is quite common among people. In this respect, the people are taking on the gestures, facial expressions, or other movements based on what they have seen someone else do in a film. Thus, Balazs prophecy seems to come true in more ways than one as we see today’s culture obsessed with cinema and its ever-evolving techniques. The development of 3D movies and VR is a great leap forward in the exploration of this domain. As the audiences become ever more engaged in the content they are viewing the viewing experience itself is greatly heightened with the aid of technology and innovations.
To sum up, Turvey makes some important distinctions between the realist and the modernist film theory. While the realists claim that remaining true to the perceivable reality is important in portraying life modernists stand by the idea of manipulation of the content through cinematic techniques that can help to heighten the content itself. Balazs theory is a combination of certain elements of both of these theories. Balazs’ focus on sensory data, observation, interpretation, and its impact on the human mind, perception, and cognition is highly significant in studying film theory. Balazs was a visionary who recognized the transformative power of the cinematic experience and the impact it can have on the makeover of the human culture. Simply put, the culture of the written word has found its main competitor in the world of cinema, and while both have their merits the precedence visual media has taken in the world today is a testament to the engaging quality of cinema. Thus, Turvey’s analysis of film theories and Balazs observations on the world of cinema are great resources for people interested in the medium.
Works Cited
Balazs, Bela. “Visible man, or the culture of film.” Furstenau, Marc. The Film Theory Reader: Debates and Arguments. New York: Routledge, 2010. 69-79.
The Lodger. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock. 1927.
Turvey, Malcolm. “Balázs: Realist or Modernist?” Furstenau, Marc. The Film Theory Reader: Debates and Arguments. New York: Routledge, 2010. 80-89.