Formalism considers the synthesis of the multiple elements of film production, and the effects, emotional and intellectual, of that synthesis and of the individual elements. For example, a formalist views standard Hollywood "continuity editing" for how it creates a comforting effect and non-continuity or how jump cut editing becomes disconcerting.[citation needed]
A formalist considers the synthesis of several elements, such as editing, shot composition, and music. The shoot-out that ends Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Western Dollars Trilogy is an example of how these elements work together to produce a formalist effect: the shot selection goes from very wide to very close and tense; the length of shots decreases as the sequence progresses towards its end; the music builds. All of these elements, in combination rather than individually, create tension.[citation needed]
Formalism incorporates ideological and auteurist branches of criticism. In both these cases, the common denominator for formalist criticism is style. Ideologues focus on how socio-economic pressures create a particular style, and auteurists on how auteurs put their own stamp on the material. Formalism is concerned with style and how the film communicates ideas, emotions, and themes rather than on the themes of a work itself.[citation needed]
Formalism in ideological approaches
Two examples of ideological interpretations that are related to formalism are the classical Hollywood cinema and film noir.[citation needed]
Film noir, which was given its name by Nino Frank[relevant? – discuss], is marked by lower production values, darker images, under lighting, location shooting, and general nihilism: this is because during the war and post-war years filmmakers and filmgoers tended to have a pessimistic outlook. Also, the German Expressionists[2] immigrated to America and brought their stylized lighting effects and disillusionment due to the war to American soil.[3]
