SergeiEisenstein,ADialecticalApproachtoFilmForm

1. Howisgoodartdynamic(47)?Isagoodjokedynamicinthesameway?

2. Afterputtingforwardtheideathatthequantityoftheintervaldetermines
thepressureofthetension(47),Eisensteinaddstheproviso,Therecanbe
caseswherethedistanceofseparationissowidethatitleadstoabreak.
Whatdoesthismean?Doesitapplytojokes,aswell?

3. Whatiswrongwiththeideathatshotsarethebuildingblocksofsequences
(49)?(ThisisthesameasthedistinctionEisensteinmakes,onp.53,between
anelementofmontageandamontagecell,bytheway.)

4. Onpage50,EisensteindescribesaprocessremarkablylikeNolCarrolls
explanationofthesightgag:Theincongruenceincontourofthefirst
picturealreadyimpressedonthemindwiththesubsequentlyperceived
secondpictureengenders,inconflict.WhydoesEisensteinconsiderthis
effectartisticratherthancomic?

5. Whatconstitutesirregularityinaworkofart(51)andwhyisthatso
important?

6. Whatisthedifferencebetweendynamicmontageandlifelessorhollow
literarysymbolism(58)?

7. Whatisthedifferencebetweentensioncalculatedforpsychologicaleffect
andtensioncalculatedtoproducenewideas(61)?Canhumorbeassociated
withoneortheother?

SergeiEisenstein,AFewThoughtsaboutSovietComedy

8. Whatisthepurposeofgoodsocialistcomedy?

9. WhydoestheendingofChaplinsThePilgrimsupposedlyevokegood
Bolsheviklaughter?HowdoesthisrelatetoEisensteinsideaofdialectical
montage?

SiegfriedKracauer,excerptsfromTheoryofFilm

10. Whatisphysicalreality,accordingtoKracauer,andwhatdoesitmeanto
redeemit?

11. Whyshouldafilmartistbeconcernedwithredeemingphysicalreality?

12. Mr.HulotsHolidayisnotnecessarilymoreengagingorfunnierthanthe
typicalHollywoodcomedy,butitisdefinitelymorecinematic,Kracauer
maintains.Whyisitmorecinematic?

13. Accidentsaretheverysoulofslapstick,Kracauermaintains(62).Explain.

14. InwhatwaydoesGrouchoMarxswisecrackingdialogredeemphysical
reality?

15. Somefunnythingsthatarenotparticularcinematic,Kracauersuggests,
whileotherfunnythingsare.Howcanyoutellwhichiswhich?

NolBurch,StructuresofAggression

16. Why(orwhen)issurpriseinamovieaggressive?

17. Insimpleformalterms,howisshockoraggressioncreatedinamovie?

18. HowisthissamestructureofaggressionreflectedintheSherlockJr.gag?In
TexAveryssyncopatedrhythms?

19. Howcancomedyredeemtaboobehaviors,liketakingascissorsto
somebodystie,fakinganorgasminarestaurant,oreventhreateningtoblow
uptheworldwithnuclearbombs?

AndrBazin,Mr.HulotandTime

20. WhatswrongwiththePrevertscomedies,accordingtoBazin?Bycontrast,
whatmustberightaboutTatis?

21. DoesBazinthinkPlaytimeisfunnybecause(a)itshowsfunnythings,(b)it
showsordinarythingsinafunnyway,or(c)somecombination?Howisthis
exemplifiedinTatisuseofsound?

22. HowwouldMr.Hulotbelessfunnyordifferentlyfunnyifhisstoryweretold
withlotsofcloseupsandediting?

AndrBazin,CharlieChaplin

23. Theactivityofasocialbeing,suchasyouorI,Bazinwrites,isplannedwith
foresightandasitdevelops,itsdirectionischeckedbyconstantreferenceto
therealitythatitisconcernedtoshape(151).ThekeytoChaplinscomedy,
Bazinsuggests,isthathisLittleTrampdoesnotbehavethisway.Whatisso
funnyaboutthat?(Youllhavetoreadthewholeessay.Theanswerisnotin
anyoneparagraph,Imafraid.)

24. Howisthemediumofcinemaanaidtothiskindofhumor?