Robert Bressons The Trial of Joan of Arc to Ingmar Bergmans Seventh Seal - Term Paper Example

Compare Two Films Introduction Ingmar Bergman and Robert Bresson are two of the 20th centurys greatest film artists. The issues examined in their films examine questions of the human soul, and explore deep psychological aspects of existence. Viewing their films is a challenging and foreboding experience, that also rewards the viewer begins to truly unravel what is at the core of these directors visions. This essay attempts to unravel Bressons the Trial of Joan of Arc, and Bergmans the Seventh Seal, comparing the two films for both their stylistic and narrative elements. Analysis In comparing Robert Bressons The Trial of Joan of Arc to Ingmar Bergmans Seventh Seal one notes a great number unifying features. Perhaps most notable among the two films is that they embody the underlining touches of the auteur. Auteur theory was perhaps most seminally articulated by Andrew Sarris in his Notes on Auteur Theory. In this essay he considers earlier formulations of the auteur theory, dating back to its consideration by Andre Bazin in Cahiers du Cinema who indicated that while cinema, as compared to painting or the novel form, is more a collaborative element, there is nonetheless a distinct feature of artistry that can be tied to the individual director. In comparing him to director George Cukor, Sarris even speaks of the auteur tendencies of Ingmar Bergman. Sarris extends this articulation, adding his own theoretical elements. He states, “Over a group of films a director of films, a director must exhibit certain recurring characteristics of style, which serve as his signature. The way a film looks and moves should have some relationship to the way a director thinks and feels” (Sarris, pg. 662). Sarris goes on to further elaborate on this theoretical formulation by indicating that the films of an auteur explore a certain personal concern that he equates to some degree with the singular aspect of the soul. It follows that auteur theory consists of both the external elements of technique, and the internal elements of personal vision. One of the primary elements of the auteur is that their personal style and vision is not expressed simply through one film, but comes to be a characteristic element throughout their work. Ingmar Bergmans work clearly meets this criteria. As one examines another of Bergmans seminal films – the Seventh Seal – in regards to Bressons work in the Trial of Joan of Arc its clear that there are both stylistic and thematic tendencies that demonstrate the films as elements of an auteur in the classic sense. In considering the Seventh Seal one immediately notes that the films overarching concerns with the existential questions of human existence have much in common with the same concerns that are broached in the Trial of Joan of Arc. While the Trial of Joan of Arc is arguably a more singular work of personal vision in that it explores more of the psychological dimensions of humanism, it shares many of the same existential concerns with meaning and purpose in an silent world. These are issues that clearly represent Bergmans personal and auteurist vision. In considering these stylistic elements Bergman utilized in the Seventh Seal, its clear that are characteristic of Bergmans auteurist technique. Consider the opening scenes of the film. After a Biblical quote from Revelations, the film features one of the main protagonists seated by a chess board. The mise-en-scene in these regards one will note is a characteristic element of Bergmans overarching oeuvre. In this instance, one sees that Bergman has created a situation that engenders contemplation and quiet moments of meditation. The chess game has great metaphorical significance for the nature of existence, but also refers to the nature of the film as a complex commentary on life. This is an element of Bergmans auteurist style if one considers it in relation to the opening setting in the Trial of Joan of Arc. Both of these settings are purposely chosen as they allow the directors to explore existential questions of existence more readily. In these regards, they are one of the predominant elements of Bergmans auteurist style. Another characteristic element of Bergmans auteuristic style is his minimal approach. While a handful of instances in the Seventh Seal are punctuated by more upbeat social encounters – for instance, slightly comedic scenes midway through the film where individuals sit in the pub discussing the ways that the plague has effected life – the films general stylistic approach is one of contemplative pauses between a limited number of characters. Consider the scenes with the two men traveling throughout the countryside, even in moments of levity, the dearth of conversation and expansive countryside always underlie the more brooding and existential theme underlying the film. Towards the films mid-way point one of the main protagonists encounters the woman with her child. While the scene is somewhat lighthearted in tone, with both of the characters laughing and frequent shots of the babys bottom offering a somewhat comic slant on the action, its clear that the question of death and the nausea of existence is always penetrating. For instance, this scene features the chess board that is a constant reminder of Antonius Blocks existential crisis, and the overarching question of life and existence. There is also a skull featured; in the context of the scene featuring performers, one could argue that this is reminiscent of the graveyard scene in Hamlet, where Hamlet meditates on life looking at the skull of Yorik. Here the skull represents the films central thematic concern with the human condition. One will note that such consist internal vision is characteristic of Bergmans work in Persona as well, as this film continually returns to meditative aspects of psychology and existence. In these regards, these stylistic and narrative elements are characteristic of Bergmans auteurist vision. Its necessary to consider the Trial of Joan of Arc for its various filmic and auteur elements when establishing its relation to the Seventh Seal. In the context of the film these auteur elements are readily visible in the opening elements of the film, including the diegetic inclusion of church bells with shots of the nuns feet walking along the concrete, all represent partial narrative elements, however they are more notable for the visionary elements they hold which place them along the same line of artistic creation as the work of Bergman in the Seventh Seal. One of the first elements one notes an artistic similarity between the two films occurs at the beginning of Bressons work. In this opening scene one witnesses the kneeling nun before an altar repeating words that belie her regret and tragedy at events that have previously occurred. Bresson situates the scene from a low angled, close-up position. This style has been noted to be one of Bressons characteristic artistic tendencies (Pipolo). The effect is one to place the viewer in the position of priest and the woman in the position as confessioner. This establishes one of the films underlining themes – namely the solemn investigation of the human spirit and conscience. As will be demonstrated later, this perspective has much in line with Bergmans perspective presented in the Seventh Seal. It must be noted that while both films achieve this exploration of the human condition through presenting an auteurist vision the general stylistic means that this is achieved is different. While in Bressons work, the viewer receives more close and intimate scenes of contemplation through Bresson literally close-up style, in Bergmans film the exploration of human existence is achieved through expansive shots of the two knights roaming the countryside, and the slightly ironic shots of the Antonious playing chess with Death. When one considers various shot compositions in both films its clear that the directors have a strikingly different approach. Consider the first scene within the main narrative thrust of Bressons film. The first shot features a close-up picture of a book, which either represents a Biblical and legal text, Joans chained hands then come down upon the book, the camera remains static and then the film cuts to Joan seated kneeling. In both shots there is considerable attention given to the composition of the mise-en-scene. In these regards, the entire film screen is filled so that there is virtually no empty space. Bresson is very much in-debted to the visual arts of painting and photography in these regards. Conversely, one notes that while Bergman is highly concerned with stylistic and technical aspects of film, these elements are not as foregrounded as in Bressons films; instead, Bergmans style works to create engaging screen composition through virtually the direct opposite means as that of Bresson. In considering some of the composition elements in Bergman that last point becomes clear. In one of the opening scenes of Seventh Seal, Bergman features a shot of a black hawk flying through the sky. While the shot has the same painter like composition to detail that Bressons work does in the Trial of Joan of Arc (the sublime beauty of this shot is not able to be articulated in the confines of this essay). One of the notable aspects of this shot composition though is that instead of filling the screen space and creating a sort of intimate and interior feeling, it implements empty space to create the feeling of expansiveness. As the Seventh Seal progresses one witnesses different incarnations of this style. For instance, there are oftentimes shots of the large expansive cliffs, and also shots of the ocean. It seems that Bergman implements the ocean in this regard as a means of incorporating elements of natural aspects. Not only are the images of the black hawk and the ocean visually effective, but they also work perfectly into Begmans artistic vision. The ocean, with its uncontrollable and divinely inspired movement and expansiveness is an element that is thematic throughout the Seventh Seal and one that is virtually non-existent in the tightly composed shots of Bressons work. Both of these symbols encourage the viewer to consider the expansive nature of the films underlining message – namely, the consideration of questions of our wordly existence and place in the expansive universe. Consider shots later in Bergmans film that feature slight montage sequences of the knights riding across the road. Whereas Bresson would approach this shot with a close-up, filling and crowding the screen space, Bergman features the knights riding from two separate long takes. Perhaps this is implemented as a means of demonstrating to the audience the fundamental message of the humans position in the world as profoundly alone. This is contrasted with Bressons underlining thematic concern with the personal narrative qualities of the film, as well as the specific concerns of the protagonist Joan of Arc. It follows that the technical aspects needed to encapsulate these varying narrative tendencies differs greatly with Bergman implementing a more loose style and Bresson instituting a more tightly composed and structured approach. As the Trial of Joan of Arc continues more various elements it has in relation to the Seventh Seal. One of the most notable differences between the two films is the underlining narrative they approach. While the Seventh Seal is a narrative of imagination and highly metaphorical and allegorical, Bresson instead seeks to work within the contexts of the historical narrative. Before the main narrative thrust begins, Bresson indicates through scrolling text that the film incorporates actual historical elements from what is deemed to have actually occurred in the Trial of Joan of Arc. One also can consider that in choosing the historical nature of the Trial of Joan of Arc, French film director Robert Bresson has created a film concerned with his own cultural heritage. While surely elements of Bergmans the Seventh Seal are influenced by his own Swedish cultural background, its clear that in Bressons instance his film is much more a work of cultural and historical consideration. In considering the nature of both the Seventh Seal and the Trial of Joan of Arc as auteur films, one must note varying concepts of the author that are envisioned within these texts. In his essay Death of the Author from Image, Music, Text, Roland Barthes articulates a perspective on the auteur concept that differs from Sarris earlier described work. While Sarris works towards rooting the theory of the filmic author in a singular concept of the auteur, Barthes works towards deconstructing the author construct indicating that any traditional understanding of the author must be understood under a new structural understanding. Barthes states, To give a text an Author and assign a single, corresponding interpretation to it "is to impose a limit on that text” (Barthes, pg. 3). In these regards, rather than being viewed as a singular master of creation, the author is viewed instead as a sort of medium through which the text surfaces. Barthes further indicates, “a text is a line of words releasing a single theological meaning (the message of the Author-God) but a multi-dimensional space in which a variety of writings, none of them original, blend and clash” (Barthes, pg. 3). In these regards, the greatest distinguishing elements between Barthes characterization of the author and Sarris theoretical articulation of the auteur concept are the interpretive means by which the critique subsequently interprets the film, with Sarris emphasizing the directors personal vision, and Barthes emphasizing a sort of inter-textual appearance of ideas and understandings. Within the context of the Trial of Joan of Arc and the Seventh Seal, one notes that while both films exhibit auteurist qualities in a traditional sense – namely, unique personal style and vision, and an established technical approach – they are vary on this aspect of authorship. In the case of the Trial of Joan of Arc, its implementation of actual historical documents and speeches to reconstruct its narrative, the film implements more aspects of inter-textuality in the sense that Barthes indicates in his Death of the Author concept. In these regards, one could argue that the Seventh Seal is a more personal and individual film than the Trial of Joan of Arc. One also notes that while both films are clearly well conceived the highly conceived nature of the Trial of Joan of Arc is perhaps the element that stands in most stark contrast between the films. In these regards, the Seventh Seal can be considered the more traditionally realist of the two films. In examining it one can even identify some of the neo-realist tendencies that Bergman himself indicated influenced some of his work (Bergman). Consider, the scene nearly have way through the film, where Bergman explores the various conversations within a pub about the plague that has overtaken the region. While it is difficult to ascertain how scripted the scene was, it nonetheless has a loose improvisational feel. This is highlighted by the fluid nature with which the characters move throughout the scene. It ultimately functions not entirely to progress the narrative, but to simply give one an impressionistic account of the occurrences within the narrative. There are a variety of scenes throughout Bergmans film that contain these neo-realist influences, demonstrating a stark contrast with Bressons work. Conclusion In conclusion, its clear that the Seventh Seal and the Trial of Joan of Arc, both explore complex questions of human existence through well composed art cinema. In comparing the two films, its noted that Bressons work exhibits a more tightly woven and intimate approach than the Seventh Seals more expansive and neo-realistic perspective. In terms of narrative, the Seventh Seal is demonstrated to be more metaphorical and allegorical than the historically situated Trial of Joan of Arc. Ultimately, both films are highly successful in delving deep into the mysteries and existence and questions of humanity. References Barthes, Roland. (2001). Image, Music, Text. New York: Tethlon. Bergman, Ingmar. (1995) My Life in Film. New York: Arcade Publishing. Pipolo, Tony. (2010) Robert Presson: A Passion for Film. USA: Oxford University Press. Sarris, Andrew. Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962. http://www.f.waseda.jp/norm/japanesefilms10/andrew_sarris_notes_auteur_theory.pdf Read More