Media Crit: Exam 1

Front 1

Swiss linguist who is the founder of Semiology

Back 1

Ferdinand de Saussure = Semiology

Front 2

Define: Sign

AND:

___ + ___ = ___

Back 2

The smallest unit of meaning

Signifier + Signified = The Sign

Front 3

Define: Signification

Back 3

Signs derive meaning from their relationship (Signification) to to other signs.

Concepts have meanings bc of relations!

Front 4

All signs are cultural constructs that have taken on meaning through repeated, learned, collective use

Back 4

.

Front 5

Define: Referents

Back 5

The real objects to which language refers. (Not all objects have referents: Body Language)

(Kim Kardashian picture)

TANGIBLE

Front 6

Define: Interpretant

Back 6

The sign that we use to describe another sign.

The interpreter's conception of the sign.

(Kim Kardashian interpretations) = Says more about you (Your interpretations, ideas)

Front 7

Roland Barthes...

Back 7

.

Front 8

Define: Denotation

Back 8

First order of signification: The signifier (image) plus the signified (idea or concept).

Front 9

Define: Connotation

Back 9

Second order of signification system: The signifier (image) plus the signified (idea or concept) is the SIGNIFIER, and then another signified (additional meaning) gets attached to it.

1.

A.Signifier: Rain

B. Signifier: Rain is wet

2. Signifier: (A +B) and Signified: rain makes the scene have a sad tone

Connotation = It means "sad" in the scene

Front 10

(4) Contemporary Criticism:

Back 10

1. The contexts are stretched (Who is the artist? How does this affect the work?)

2. The meaning of the work is derived by the interpretations of the viewers (Different for different people across the world and time)

3. Examines the criteria for what is "good" and "lesser" & hierachies

4. Takes power away from critic

Front 11

(3) Traditional:

Back 11

1. Artist centered (Meaning derived by him/her)

2. The artist's meaning is THE meaning (Bias towards directors)

2. Sets up hierachy (Reality TV, Slasher, porn = not "good").

Front 12

Christian Metz's 5 channels:

Back 12

Christian Metz = 5 channels of communication in cinema: Cinema, Image, Written Language, Voice, Music & Sound Effects

Front 13

Define: Code

Back 13

Refers to any systemized set of conventions, any set of prescriptions for the selection and combination of units (Editing, scoring, cinematography, music, character development)

Front 14

Define: Syntagm

Back 14

Diacronic (Temporal)

An ordering of signs, a rule-governed combination of signs in a determined sequence.

Front 15

Define: Paradigm

Back 15

Synchronic (No temporal order)

A group of signs so similar that they may be substituted for one another in a syntagm.

Front 16

The meaning of a given syntagm derives in part from...

Back 16

...the absence of other possible paradigmatic choices

Front 17

Synchronic VS. Diachronic:

Back 17

Synchronic: No temporal order, doesn't cause things (Paradigms)

Diachronic: Temporal, causes things (Syntagm)

Front 18

Langue VS. Parole

Back 18

Langue is the total sign system (Theatre, Film (in its entirety)).

Parole are the individual signs ("Romeo and Juliet", "Fight Club").

Front 19

Define: Polysemy

Back 19

Many "semes" = Many meanings

Image is defined by polysemy (captions, the publication (Rolling Stone), placing of characters in frames)

Front 20

Psychoanalysis:

Back 20

Describes the ways in which the small human being comes to develop a specific personality & sexual identity within a culture

Utilizes the unconscious + the Oedipus complex and seeks to analyze the basic foundations of desire beneath human activity

Front 21

What is The Pleasure Principle vs. the Reality Principle?

Back 21

Freud believed that human nature comes from the repression of desire (Pleasure Principle) in favor of delayed and socially acceptable means of gratification (Reality Principle)

Front 22

What is the "unconscious"?

Back 22

The area of the human mind which holds repressed, unfulfilled desires

Front 23

The Four Stages of Infantile Sexuality:

Back 23

1. Oral

2. Anal

3. Phallic

4. Genital

Front 24

Pre-Oedipal Stages:

Back 24

A baby girl/boy is born. Falls in love with mother. Doesn't know it is separate from mother (dual affection). Dad shows up. Baby boy/girl realize its independence from mom.

Baby boy can no longer be in love with mother for fear of castration.

Baby girl has "penis" envy when she realizes she has already been castrated.

Front 25

Psychoanalysis as a method:

Back 25

1. The work of the unconscious

2. The production of fantasy

3. The erotic component of desire present in all our activities

4. Dreams & Language

Lacan:

5. Reinterprets Freud in the context of language

6. Unconscious is structured like a language

Front 26

Lacan's interpretation of the Oedipus Complex:

Back 26

A Child grows out of the Oedipus complex not only through fear of castration but by his/her understanding of the culture's language.

Linguistic capability = one's insertion into a social realm.

Front 27

(3) Lacan's Psychoanalytic Registers:

Back 27

1. The Imaginary/ Mirror Phase: Child develops ego. Identity of baby is formed in understanding individual self through image of self in mirror (6-18 months).

2. Symbolic Register: Father (Law of culture) disrupts harmony of the dual relation between mother and child.

3. Symbolic Order: Pre-established social structure (Incest is bad)

Front 28

**Lacan's contribution to psychoanalytical theory:

Back 28

When we enter Symbolic Order, we enter language/culture itself.

Front 29

Psychoanalysis applied to film studies:

Back 29

1. Shifts emphasis away from film to spectator-text relationship.

2. Cinema is the reconstruction of our dreams, desires, unconscious

Front 30

(4) What is the Cinematic Aparatus?

Back 30

Intricate structure involving:

1. Technical base (Theatre)

2. Condition of film equipment/projection (Theater: Larger than life screen)

3. The film itself as a 'text'

4. that 'mental machinery' of spectatorship: we know its not real but we pretend/still get scared afterwards

Front 31

What are the three factors of the psychoanalytic construction of the film viewer?

Back 31

1. Regression (We want to go back to womb, Theater is womb)

2. Primary identification (The act of perception)

3. Hiding the "authorship" of the film (Used to try to hide this to universalize it)

Front 32

Define: Voyeurism

Back 32

Applies to any kind of sexual gratification obtained from vision.

Breaking 4th wall feels uneasy/messes with us because the viewer is acknowledged and we feel "caught in the act" of sexual gratification.

Front 33

Differences between TV and Film?

Back 33

1. Setting: (Cinema: No control, requires effort/ TV: Control, less effort, less dream-like)

2. Viewer (C: Long gaze/ TV: Interrupted, glances)

3. Technological innovations (C: No pausing, TV: Pausing)

4. Technologies/equip/cameras

5. Spatial Relationships (C: You go to it, More precious/ TV: Comes to you, Streaming)

6. Immediacy: (C: Takes longer to produce/ TV: Constant, present)

TV becoming more like film? Breaking Bad?

Film becoming more like TV? Series, sequels

Front 34

The 3 Gazes

Back 34

The camera

The male character

The audience

Front 35

The political perspectives of feminism:

Back 35

1970s:

Bourgeois

Marxist

Radical

1980s:

Post-Structuralist

Post-modern

Front 36

The political perspectives of feminism:

Back 36

1970s:

Bourgeois

Marxist

Radical

1980s:

Post-Structuralist

Post-modern

Front 37

Bourgeoise Feminism

Back 37

Gaining equal rights and opportunities in the capitalist society (burning bras, sexual freedom). Criticized for only being upper class women.

Front 38

The political perspectives of feminism:

Back 38

1970s:

Bourgeois

Marxist

Radical

1980s:

Post-Structuralist

Post-modern

Front 39

Bourgeoise Feminism

Back 39

Gaining equal rights and opportunities in the capitalist society (burning bras, sexual freedom). Criticized for only being upper class women.

Front 40

Marxist Feminism

Back 40

Capitalism itself creates the oppression of women and other groups such as homosexuals (working class). Fix the system.

Front 41

The political perspectives of feminism:

Back 41

1970s:

Bourgeois

Marxist

Radical

1980s:

Post-Structuralist

Post-modern

Front 42

Bourgeoise Feminism

Back 42

Gaining equal rights and opportunities in the capitalist society (burning bras, sexual freedom). Criticized for only being upper class women.

Front 43

Marxist Feminism

Back 43

Capitalism itself creates the oppression of women and other groups such as homosexuals (working class). Fix the system.

Front 44

Radical Feminism

Back 44

Men and women are biologically different. Woman need to have a complete separation from the patriarchal order in order to further their own specific needs and desires. Celebration of women values. Wants strong communities of women.

Front 45

The political perspectives of feminism:

Back 45

1970s:

Bourgeois

Marxist

Radical

1980s:

Post-Structuralist

Post-modern

Front 46

Bourgeoise Feminism

Back 46

Gaining equal rights and opportunities in the capitalist society (burning bras, sexual freedom). Criticized for only being upper class women.

Front 47

Marxist Feminism

Back 47

Capitalism itself creates the oppression of women and other groups such as homosexuals (working class). Fix the system.

Front 48

Radical Feminism

Back 48

Men and women are biologically different. Woman need to have a complete separation from the patriarchal order in order to further their own specific needs and desires. Celebration of women values. Wants strong communities of women.

Front 49

Post-Structuralist Feminism

Back 49

We need to examine the language which creates the social constructs of gender: what "men" and "women" means in our language and society.

Front 50

The political perspectives of feminism:

Back 50

1970s:

Bourgeois

Marxist

Radical

1980s:

Post-Structuralist

Post-modern

Front 51

Bourgeoise Feminism

Back 51

Gaining equal rights and opportunities in the capitalist society (burning bras, sexual freedom). Criticized for only being upper class women.

Front 52

Marxist Feminism

Back 52

Capitalism itself creates the oppression of women and other groups such as homosexuals (working class). Fix the system.

Front 53

Radical Feminism

Back 53

Men and women are biologically different. Woman need to have a complete separation from the patriarchal order in order to further their own specific needs and desires. Celebration of women values. Wants strong communities of women.

Front 54

Post-Structuralist Feminism

Back 54

We need to examine the language which creates the social constructs of gender: what "men" and "women" means in our language and society.

Front 55

Philosophical Definitions:

Back 55

1980s:

Essentialist Feminism and Anti-essentialist Feminism.

Front 56

Essentialist Feminism

Back 56

Men and women are biologically different. Women values are better than male values. Includes first 3 political perspectives. The essential truths of women are hidden by the P order, but they are more humane values.

Front 57

Essentialist Feminism

Back 57

Men and women are biologically different. Women values are better than male values. Includes first 3 political perspectives. The essential truths of women are hidden by the P order, but they are more humane values.

Front 58

Anti-essentialist feminism

Back 58

Gender is more than biological. We need to understand sex identity.

Front 59

The Unconscious

Back 59

What Freud called the relegation of repressed unfulfilled desires.

Front 60

Psychoanalytical Construction of the film viewer:

Back 60

Regression - Theatre reminds us of the womb to which we want to go back to

Primary identification - Identification with a spectator as a pure act of perception

Concealment of the marks of enunciation that stamp a film with authorship