The Directors and Auteur Theory paper

PARK CHAN-WOOK & THE APPLICATION OF AUTEUR THEORY 1

Park Chan-wook & the Application of Auteur Theory

Student Name

University of Arizona Global Campus

ENG225: Introduction to Film

Instructor Name

Due Date

Purpose: Use this modeled example of the Week 3 Written Assignment to explore the elements that make this an exemplary submission. Read the

comments to learn about what the student has done well in this assignment and what could be improved.

PARK CHAN-WOOK & THE APPLICATION OF AUTEUR THEORY 2

Park Chan-wook & the Application of Auteur Theory

There are many avenues to becoming a competent and involved film

analyst; seeking to improve and innovate how we critique films can be

overwhelming given the volume of content that is available to view and scrutinize.

One great starting point for looking deeper into a film is outlined within auteur

theory. The auteur theory was first introduced by French critic and director Francois

Truffaut and regards the director of a film as the author of that film; placing the

director front and center as the person responsible for the creative decisions playing

out on-screen. Although there has been noted debate regarding whether this is a

valid concept, I believe that the auteur theory is a great starting point to find deeper

meaning within a film. Chan-wook Park’s films Oldboy (2003) and The

Handmaiden (2016) demonstrate the deft hand of the auteur through the use of

atmospheric cinematography, dramatic lighting and color palettes, and editing to

create a singular version of the graphically violent, horror-tinged psychological

thriller.

Technical Competence

Put simply, technical competence within film poses the question of whether

the film is well made. Technical competence appears within every layer of the film

and can even be considered the tool with which directors create the layers of a given

film or scene; a competent director can add meaning and symbolism to their stories,

seamlessly integrated into a given scene. Both Oldboy and The Handmaiden are

technically sound, at the very least; director Park pulls from several different

elements to achieve the overall look and feel of both examples – from his

This is an excellent use of original thinking to frame auteur theory in your own words.

Do avoid using the first person (words like I, me, or my) in

academic writing, unless

your assignment specifies that it

is a personal reflection.

Include a thesis statement that identifies the director and

focuses on how this director and

his/her films meet the criteria posed by auteur

theory and advance the

possibilities of storytelling through the

medium of film. See how the

author uses level headings to

clearly organize the different

sections of their paper.

PARK CHAN-WOOK & THE APPLICATION OF AUTEUR THEORY 3

atmospheric cinematography, moody lighting, and dramatic music, to drawing

incredibly expressive performances from his cast.

In Park’s 2003 film – Oldboy – there are several aspects which add deeper

meaning to the story; among them are the director’s use of nonlinear storytelling

and graphic violence. Oldboy is the second installation of Park’s revenge trilogy

which examines the extent that individuals will go to in order to exact retribution;

where it may seem a given that there would be heavy gore in such a storyline Park

expertly walks the line between gore for shock-value and gore which furthers our

characters and their journey. For instance, among the final scenes of the film we

see our protagonist, Oh Dae-su, remove his tongue. On screen, Oh seizes his own

tongue in a handkerchief and raises his scissors – the frame glides to the side of Oh

to frame only his hand. There is no more or less blood during this process, but the

character’s fingers on the scissors work in the fashion of fingers cleaving through

thick, raw meat. This use of cinematography creates an incredibly effective image

of self-mutilation while allowing the focus to remain on the act, rather than the

effect of the wound.

Although Park very often uses a nonlinear method to tell his tales I believe

that the 2016 release, The Handmaiden, is an emphatic example of the creative

allowances that such a method allows the creator(s). Told in three separately labeled

parts, the film tells and re-tells its story from different vantage points which change

the story entirely. The Handmaiden is first told as a heist, and then as a betrayal,

and finally, perhaps, a love story – however, the viewer is always aware that it is

always the same tale. Along with this preferred method of storytelling, Park’s

This is an effective

description of how

cinematography can be used to

establish thematic

elements while advancing the

story.

This is a very good transition

that links technical

competence to distinguishable

personality.

PARK CHAN-WOOK & THE APPLICATION OF AUTEUR THEORY 4

works are often directed and written by himself; including those two discussed, here

and are characterized by an often dramatic plot twist. Being the writer and director

gives Park even more authorial control over the finished product and allows him to

ensure that his films are uniquely his own.

Distinguishable Personality

The works of Chan-wook Park are easily recognizable; the acclaimed writer

and director traditionally works in the genre of thrillers or even horror, such as the

titles discussed in this paper. It is also true that his stories often focus around or are

spurred into motion by an act or need for vengeance, which has earned him the

nickname of Mr. Vengeance among fans and professional peers. Another hallmark

to be considered is the way that Park prefers to shoot his action scenes – some critics

likening it to the choreography of retro fighter games (think arcade Mortal Combat)

– and this is especially evident in Oldboy. There is a particular scene, shot wide to

encompass the length of a hallway as we watch the protagonist fight his way

forward through a dauting number of assailants. Other preferences such as Park’s

dark sense of humor and partiality to adding drama by filming with a hand-held

device (done again in Oldboy) allow the pieces to distinguish the personality of

their director and establish his darker human themes.

Interior Meaning

The final aspect of analyzing a film using the auteur theory is that of interior

meaning; the theory asks what the director of the film is trying to accomplish or say

through the many elements that make up their work. Although this is an admittedly

subjective idea – meaning – I think there would be few viewers left without the

PARK CHAN-WOOK & THE APPLICATION OF AUTEUR THEORY 5

impression that Park is trying to convey something (perhaps many things) through

what plays out on screen. Speaking in general terms, I believe that the complete

filmography of this director is true to himself; always maintaining although not

necessarily duplicating his preferred, stylized environment.

In both Oldboy and The Handmaiden, the director seems to be asking the

audience “how far can a person be pushed? How hard can a person push?”, Park

wants to explore the deepest and darkest places of our humanity and does an

excellent job of taking the viewer with him through a variety of elements – all

absolutely vital to one another. Another hallmark of Park, a tool he uses to

emphasize emotional impact, is having characters interact across space and time

through dual or merged shots. In Oldboy we see our antagonist, Woo-jin, interacting

across the past and present with his deceased sister. I believe that this type of scene

especially is intended to offer closure or an opportunity to understand a character’s

motivations, depending on which work of Park’s is being considered but is always

an insight into the central theme of the given piece.

Conclusion

Although there are many approaches to digging into the meaning of any art

form, the auteur theory is a very effective outline to generating deeper thoughts and

identifying important aspects of film. Using this theory it is possible to capably pick

apart and then re-piece together selected works of Chan-wook Park and other

directors; you are able to consider the technical competency that the chosen director

displays throughout their body of work through a variety of thematic elements; as

well as consider aspects of the film which may convey a deeper meaning about the

This is a great place to offer some direct

analysis of the director’s

themes. What are these themes and what is he trying to say

about humanity and culture

through them?

PARK CHAN-WOOK & THE APPLICATION OF AUTEUR THEORY 6

character and/or message that the film contains. I believe that the most effective

way to employ the auteur theory is as a starting place; the idea is to generate further

thought and new ideas about what you are seeing on screen – something that will

benefit the analysist specifically, rather than analyzing only to categorize.

PARK CHAN-WOOK & THE APPLICATION OF AUTEUR THEORY 7

References

Goodykoontz, B., Jacobs, C. P., Meetze, J., & Pritts, N. (2019) Film: From watching to

seeing (3rd ed.). https://content.ashford.edu/

Rugg, L. H. (2014). Self-projection: The director’s image in art cinema.

https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy-library.ashford.edu

Sarris, A. (1963). The Auteur Theory and the Perils of Pauline. Film Quarterly, 16(4),

26-33. doi:10.2307/3185951