British Social Realism – From
Documentary to Brit Grit by Samantha Lay
Social Realism in the
British Context
Realism and the Cinema
Describe the development of realism in the arts at the end of the nineteenth century.
Vast areas of
literature, theatre and the fine arts were already using realist principles,
and the development of photography meant that realism in the sense of now could
be captured. Devices used to
enhance and produce movies that followed, allowed added dimensions to realist
creations.
What new possibilities did photography bring?
Photography bought
‘life as it is lived’; capturing the present.
What was the common quest shared by all media?
The common quest
shared by all media was to present the truth and reality as it was.
What is the problem with Truth?
Truth can have
many variations, slightly opposing each other. The truth perceived by one
person, will not be the same for another.
What did Kracauer believe and what did his ideas about realism in film have in common with Zola’s about naturalism?
Kracauer believed that film was extremely capable of representing the real. He also believed that there should be no interference from other cunning devices and this was also expressed in Zola’s notion of naturalism. Basically, Kracauer and Zola wanted accurate details of the present with no exaggeration.
What did Gerhardie believe to be the goal of naturalism?
Gerhardie believed
that the goal of naturalism was to bring back an impression of real life,
through characteristics of things that are associated with real life.
Describe Bazin’s arguments.
Bazin stated that
‘there is not one, but several realisms’. Therefore, each era has its very own
form of realism. Bazin argued that audiences should be allowed to establish
their own realism within realist film texts and the employed, correct use of shot
techniques would allow audiences to do this.
What do all of these approaches commonly seek?
All these
approaches commonly seek to represent the truth through codes and conventions
that have become regularly associated with realism.
How do Branston and Stafford differentiate between the “realistic” nature of a Hollywood film and other “realist” texts?
Branston and Stafford stated that the realistic nature of most Hollywood film would be realistic in setting, characterisation and situation. However, other realist texts differentiate as they employ one of two characteristics by the film maker. One would be to show in full detail, the experience of an actual event. The other characteristic would be to convey a message or argument about the social world through known realist conventions, such as location, characters and camera techniques.