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Question-

In what ways did the conditions created by modernity influence the social, political, cultural, economic changes occurring in society? How was this reflected in modernist film?

Identify what where the conditions created by modernity, as discussed in the lectures and readings how did this impact politically, socially economically, and how did artist respond. Use specific examples of individual artist’s responses to support your analysis.



In the age of modernity, there were enhancements in methods of producing and operating circumstances with subsequent alterations to standards of living, communal arrangement, economic prosperousness and power of the person, constructed confidence in a ‘belief in progress and development’, which offered a key analogy for modernist artists (Gay, 2008). It will be demonstrated that the agency of the social, political and economic conditions of modernity as elaborated by the answers of four great early 20th century filmmakers. On top of that, we will still clarify how several people were pleased with the modifications while others were uncertain of the outcomes, exposures and overarching faith in progression and advancement as the avenue to the ideal community. Lastly, the belief in progress and development (in consequences to the changed conditions of modernity) is definitely made known and described the cases of the distinguished early 20th century modernist films.


Russian filmmaker Dziga Vertov and German filmmaker Walter Ruttmann, both convey their fundamental belief in progress and development by welcoming the influence of technology as a betterment to the community, nevertheless, not every modernist show originally exhibits this very hopeful attitude. The films of Vertov’s and Ruttmann’s named; ‘Man with a Movie Camera’ (1929) and ‘Berlin: Symphony of a Great City ‘(1927) respectively, act as a recognition of work setup alterations brought to pass by modernity (Howe, 2013). The two silent films are quick paced, hypnagogic collections of setting comprising of individuals at work and play collaborating with the modern appliances of the time. Despite the fact, there was the absence of a storyline, the key figures of these films are technology as the two films act as a commemoratory demonstration of its ability and actual impact on daily life (Dimendberg, 1997). aaaaaaaaaaaaa


Admonitions of the automation procedure of man emerging as part of the machine as an outcome of the industrialization is a major subject manifested by other modernist filmmakers. Because of this automation procedure, industrial employees were going through escalating distress, fairly expecting that they would suffer the loss of their jobs to mechanization, which would impact in their economic condition. Even supposing that a few were lucky enough to remain hired, industrial conventions had dislodged man totally as a source of potency and instated him in a fresh and imitable task as an attendant of the machine. In other terms, automation was restating employees into ‘Obsolete Men’. Charlie Chaplin employs wit as an instrument to communicate this advisory concept through his silent movie, known as ‘Modern Times’ (1936). Chaplin’s vagrant character is shown as a factory employee lost in machinery operating at an absurd rate. Sceneries of several catastrophes brought about by the failure of flow of the manufacturing line, together with being lost and advancing inside the intricacies of the racks and workings of the apparatus make for a cheerful delivery of his predetermined admonition. (Robinson, 1985). In the show ‘Metropolis’ by Fritz Lang, he conveys his evaluation of the automation industry production line in a significantly darker manner. The vision of several faceless assembly line laborers, dressed alike, distinguished just by a number, heads down, walking in-venture toward the underground industrial facility and sets of employees moving in beat as if elements of the huge machine, asserting a strong assertion regarding man’s servitude to the machine (Murphy, 2007). Automation was not the only repercussion of industrialization examined by modernist films, as the class struggle was also the reason for criticism.


Class stratum, another major subject of the early 20th century modernist film, was indicative of the industrialized community. From the end of the 18th century, the class had been observed, nearly without a doubt, as the avenue to comprehending the dynamics of the modern world. The film ‘Man with a Movie Camera’ (1929) by Vertov and ‘Berlin: Symphony of a Great City’ (1927) by Ruttmann exhibited an assent of class distinction as footage of the two films presupposes all classes of community collaborate happily together. On the contrary, the main subject of the two films ‘Modern Times’ (1936) and ‘Metropolis’ (1927) is the commentary of the unevenness of dominance between a capital class in command of technology and its toiling working class (Howe, 2013). Lang visually authenticates this only by the arrangement of his delusive town Metropolis; the modern town on the surface, easily elucidated as above and more sophisticated in proximity to the underworld, covered under conditions of the laboring class, referring to the concept of heaven versus hell (Byrne, 2003). The two of Lang and Chaplin forewarn of the endangerment of an escalating class partition in a capitalist community as the outcome of industrialization via their works.


Despite the fact that these distinguished modernist filmmakers, as communal interpreters, react both positively and cynically to the transformations of community in the course of modernity, the overarching hopeful unanimity of the ‘belief in progress and development' is denoted by the advancing of utopian repercussions or conceptions for resolutions. Vertov and Ruttman convey this presumption in the constitution of these two previously named films as a commemoration of modern city life. Lang’s ‘Metropolis’ (1927) discloses his utopian principles, not just through the key figures of the laboring and the controlling class discerning passion and then forwarding the resolution to the servile revolution, but especially by the ending message, “The mediator between head and hands must be the heart!” (Pommer & Lang, 1927). This proposes that Lang’s faith in progression finally resulting in an advanced community pushed him to both recognition the probable issues of industrialization and class contest and most significantly provide resolutions. (Lang & Harbou, 1973). Chaplin’s hopeful declaration, “Buck up- never say die. We’ll get along” (Petric, 2012) as the finishing of the film ‘Modern times’ (1936) in response to the story life strive of the laboring class key figures, also discloses his message of expectancy in the faith that progression will finally advance community (Howe, 2013). The two filmmakers provide optimistic future consequence at the summary of their films, which overrides their subject of the issues brought about by industrialized community and discloses their main assumption in the progression towards utopia.


Modernity is the mutual humanistic experience of humongous alteration to the socio-political conditions of daily living. Industrialization of production, brought about by the analysis of science and technology, made a massive change of that times lifestyle. This transformed modern world around the 19th and 20th centuries and created reassured anticipation, therefore, constructing ‘the idea of progress’ as the avenue to an anticipated advanced community, artists of different backgrounds reacted to this belief in progress. The demonstrative examination of the discussed cases of early 20th century modernist film affirms the show creators overarching ‘belief in progress and development’ as the avenue to an exemplary community, against the subjects of criticism of several. The impact of the social and political conditions of modernity, that both supported the flexibility to express permitting the arts to become a stage for communal criticism and also offered a key analogy for this modernist films, is clear.















References


Lang, F., & Harbou, T. . (1973). Metropolis: A film. London: Lorrimer Pub.


Petric, V. (2012). Constructivism in film: The man with the movie camera ; a cinematic analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge U.P.


Robinson, D. (1985). Chaplin, his life and art. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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