Approaches to Film

Auteur theory is the belief that the director is the sole artist of any film, especially if that film is capable of reflecting a style unique to the director. Many directors have a sort of signature that they instill into their films, whether it be based on casting, the soundtrack, camera angles and shots, a continuous prop or character that keeps arising, or any combination of the aforementioned. Part of the auteur theory is that when people see a certain film, they are able to pick out the director of the film based on the aspects of the film itself.

However, there is controversy regarding this theory, as many people believe that the film is the creation of the film crew as a whole, that each individual adds their own special touch. A well-known auteur director is Quentin Tarantino, and one of the films that he is most known for is Pulp Fiction, which was released in 1994. Pulp Fiction contains actors and talent that Tarantino tends to use in his films, preferring to work with people he is familiar with rather than with fresh-blooded actors.

The film also contains references to old cult songs, which is perhaps one of Tarantino’s most obvious signatures within his films. Shots and camera angles are other ways that Tarantino left his mark on Pulp Fiction. One of his signature camera angles involves a person being locked in a trunk, with the camera in the same position as the person in the trunk. When the trunk would open, the camera would be looking up at the two men that put the people into the trunk. This shot has been informally dubbed the trunk shot, thanks to Tarantino.
Another memorable shot was the continuous shot of the two men walking down the hallway. Even though they went through doors and turned corners, the entire scene was done in one shot, one camera movement. Though Tarantino’s mark and signature shine through everything he does, it is most obvious in Pulp Fiction. It is because of this movie that many people have begun to identify other films of Tarantino’s, as his style is one that is hard to replicate. Though many people are against the auteur theory, Tarantino, and Pulp Fiction, are what makes the theory plausible for some directors.