The Auteur theory originates from France and is rooted in the work of Andre Bazin, who founded the influential French film magazine Cahiers du Cinema in the 1950’s. The theory suggested that some film directors could be considered an Auteur (Author) meaning they have a distinct and recognisable personal creative vision that is apparent throughout their body of work.
Bazin and his contemporaries discussed and viewed many directors styles and picked out ‘tropes’ that could be seen in their individual work. The founders of the Auteur theory garnered controversy when they claimed even the worst auteur film had more value than the best film made by a non-auteur director.
The theory was popularised in the US by the American film critic Andrew Sarris, and it was he who coined the term ‘Auteur Theory’ in his essay ‘Notes on the Auteur Theory’ in 1962. Later, Sam Ferris identified 14 directors who he considered to be Auteur, they included John Ford, Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) and The Birds (1963) are examples of him being an auteur. Alfred Hitchcock films are always suspenseful. As a matter of fact, Hitchcock is actually known as the ‘master of suspense.’ For example, in Psycho, the audience know from the moment the murder takes place that the killer was Norman Bates mother (although, of course, the plot twist at the end shows that Norman Bates is his mother, or rather he dresses up as her.) The suspense comes from wondering if they will get found out. Another trope that could identify Hitchcock as an auteur is how in most of his films, he makes a subtle cameo. This is quite unusual for many films and film-makers, as it interferes with the illusion that the film is actually real life. Also, ‘The Blonde.’ In Hitchcock films it is very likely to see the main female protagonist as a blonde who is normally aware of her own power over men.
Another considered auteur is Michel Gondry. Gondry has distinctive visual styles throughout his work, such as the use of multi-media and bricolage. He also often uses tropes of childhood and failed relationships, and his protagonist is usually a male who is finding it difficult to leave childhood behind, a reflection on Gondry himself. He also mixes reality and fantasy together fluidly, and in the case of Science of Sleep (2007), it is sometimes hard to tell whether the main character is awake or living out a very realistic dream, which is referred to as being oneiric. The way Gondry signifies it is a dream to his audience is by using bricolage, such as a TV set made out of cardboard, or a bubble bath with blue paper and cotton wool instead of water and bubbles. Another trope of Gondry is the use of huge hands to signify the dream world, he uses this in Science of Sleep and even the music video for Everlong by the Foo Fighters.
However, Gondry is set to make Green Lantern - a DC Comic adaptation, which isn’t something auteur’s usually do. This is similar to the case of Tim Burton. Tim Burton’s style is evident throughout his body of work, he also uses many of the same actors in each of his films, namely Johnny Depp.
I would have no qualms at all in saying Tim Burton was an auteur when looking at his films such as Beetlejuice (1988) and Edward Scissorhands (1990), but with re-makes such as Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) and Alice In Wonderland (2010), although clearly a Tim Burton film, with his style and vision, they are still re-makes or adaptations of something already known. However, if after the Green Lantern film, Michel Gondry is still considered an auteur, surely Tim Burton can be considered one too?
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