Defining Cinema

Abstract

Abstract Defining Cinema: Rouben Mamoulian and Hollywood Film Style, 1929–1957 is an in-depth study of Mamoulian’s films, the ideas behind them, and their place within the history of sound cinema. Though Mamoulian was a filmmaker of startling originality in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, his contributions to film history have gone underexamined, and Mamoulian remains badly undervalued and insufficiently understood. A close look at Mamoulian reveals a largely untold story of a director who possessed a consistent and ambitious vision of cinema throughout his career. Armed with specific theories of cinema that he wrote and spoke about at length, Mamoulian innovated ways of making sound express ideas about the story; showcased methods for increasing the pace of cinema during its transition to sound and beyond; did foundational work in various forms of the musical, fairy-tale, and folk musical subgenres; presented experimental and influential approaches to color design; and was a central figure for pushing the boundaries of studio-era censorship. By understanding Mamoulian’s theories, his films, and the contexts within which he worked, we gain nothing less than a clearer picture of the stylistic history of American cinema.