Darren Aronofsky's Auteur Style in Black Swan

In French, "Auteur" is the equivalent of "author". This concept has sparked various interpretations regarding its importance and impact. Auteur theory focuses on analyzing films based on the director's involvement and influence. Francois Truffaut first introduced the idea of 'Auteur' in 1954 in A Certain Tendency in French Cinema, proposing that movies serve as a potent medium for expressing the director's distinct vision, thereby acknowledging the director as an auteur.

Three key elements define a director as an Auteur: reflecting the director's perspective in the film, showcasing skill with the camera akin to a writer's bond with a pen, and creating a unique visual or conceptual mark in their work.

These ideas were echoed by Andrew Sarris in 1962 in his "Notes on Auteur theory."

For a director to be considered an auteur, they need to have a deep understanding of the technical aspects of filmmaking and a unique style that distinguishes their films. Their movies should also communicate a theme or deeper message.

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Although the auteur theory has been challenged since the 1960s on the grounds that no one individual can oversee all elements of a film, it still serves as a useful foundation for analyzing specific films by recognizing the collaborative nature of filmmaking.

Is Darren Aronofsky considered an auteur for his fifth film, Black Swan, based on Auteur Theory which states that a film's quality is determined by how well it reflects the distinctive style, themes, and visuals of its creator?

Darren Aronofsky's films center on addiction, where the main characters continuously battle this issue.

Whether in 'Black Swan' or 'The Wrestler', these individuals are engulfed by their professions, resulting in inner turmoil. Drawing inspiration from diverse sources like other movies and art, Aronofsky imbues his works with a recurring motif of impending psychosis. With each new film he makes, he explores further into the intricacies of human psychology.

Director Darren Aronofsky's films frequently explore themes of addiction and obsession. Requiem for a Dream examines drug addiction and hallucinations, The Wrestler showcases a fixation on wrestling similar to addiction, and Black Swan depicts the transition from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to psychosis in its protagonist, drawing comparisons to the Swan Lake ballet.

His films often depict a character achieving success only to face tragedy, typically through a major personal setback. Influenced by directors like Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, Roman Polanski, Satoshi Kon, Shinya Tsukamoto, Alfred Hitchcock, Spike Lee, Federico Fellini, and Jim Jarmusch, his cinematic style is notable for its blend of these influences. For example, The Wrestler and Black Swan share similarities with Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue.

Acknowledging the similarities, Aronofsky rejected the notion that Perfect Blue (????????? Pafekuto Buru?) had an influence on his work. The 1997 Japanese animated psychological thriller film was directed by Satoshi Kon and written by Kon and Sadayuki Murai, adapted from Yoshikazu Takeuchi's novel. The plot centers around Mima Kirigoe, a member of the Japanese pop-idol group "CHAM!" who decides to switch to acting instead, much to the displeasure of some fans, particularly a stalker named Me-Mania.

As Mima progresses in her new job, her reality becomes more shadowy. The lines between what is real and what is imaginary start to blur when she receives an accusation of betrayal via fax after departing from CHAM! She stumbles upon a site called "Mima's Room" that meticulously chronicles her life, leading her to confide in her manager Rumi Hidaka. Despite Hidaka advising her to ignore the website, Mima becomes ensnared by it. While working on Double Bind, Mima lands a significant role with a controversial storyline - playing a rape victim in a strip club scene.

Despite Rumi’s warning, Mima voluntarily accepts the part, leading to her increasing inability to differentiate reality from fantasy. This trauma causes her to become paranoid and unable to separate her real life from her work, ultimately leading to people involved in tarnishing her reputation being murdered. As she discovers evidence that points towards her as the prime suspect, Mima's mental instability causes her to doubt her own innocence.

The diarist in "Mima's Room" is delusional and manipulative, creating a intense folie a deux. The faux diarist (and murderer) believes she is Mima, making stalker Me-Mania a scapegoat. Mima knocks out Me-Mania with a hammer to stop a rape attempt, then seeks help from her manager Rumi. However, when she finds Rumi, her manager is dressed in Mima's CHAM! costume and singing her pop songs in a crazy manner.

Rumi, the false diarist, feels she is the "real Mima" and is upset about the damage Mima has done to the reputation of the "real Mima". In order to protect the pristine pop idol image, Rumi decides to resort to murder, the same method she has been using. However, despite being injured, Mima is able to subdue Rumi after a chase through the city. Rumi ends up in a permanent state of delusion and is institutionalized. On the other hand, Mima has learned from these events and has moved forward in life with newfound independence and confidence.

The comparison between the two storylines is evident when one imagines Mima as the White Swan, embodying purity and innocence, while Rumi represents the Black Swan, embodying violence, sensuality, and danger. Many similarities exist between the two plots. During the confrontation between the characters (considering the black swan and white swan as distinct entities for argument's sake), the antagonist attacks the protagonist in both instances. Additionally, in both scenarios, the protagonist sustains a similar injury to their abdomen, near the liver.

Both the protagonist in both cases, Nina finishes the dance while Mima goes around the city in a chase even after being wounded. They are affected by the job and receive threatening messages- Nina sees Whore while Mima receives the fax calling her a traitor. There is an immense similarity between the story line and the character sketches, even though there may be similarities in the naming of characters (based solely on conjecture and lacking credibility).

Despite the possibility that the inspiration was unintentional, the unmistakable similarity between Black Swan and Perfect Blue is too significant to ignore. This prominent resemblance suggests that Darren Aronofsky may not be considered an auteur. Black Swan heavily incorporates themes of the Doppelganger effect and split personality, woven into a central motif of mirrors throughout the film.

In classic Hollywood cinema, the strategy seen in films like 'The Red Shoes' is readily apparent in 'The Ram' and 'Nina Sayers', both characters bearing the mark of Aronofsky's style. He describes them as artists who rely on their bodies for expression, facing threats of age and physical injury, using only their hands to create. Throughout his films, Aronofsky's sets have a deliberate simplicity, with minimal props that bring a sense of belonging and authenticity.

In the Black Swan recital, the simple set added to the elegance and grandeur, creating an ethereal quality. Clint Mansell's music in Aronofsky's films, including Black Swan, is a notable trait. Music is used to dramatize situations, with editing playing a crucial role in enhancing the impact of the background score. This relationship between editing and music is most effectively demonstrated in Requiem for a Dream, which received praise for its hip-hop style editing.

His attention to detail is exemplified in many ways. In the opening scene of Black Swan, for instance, the subtle change in the tutu indicates a shift in emotion. The small stiff classical pancake tutu represents innocence and cheer, the long flowing romantic tutu signifies elegance and grace, and the shorter platter tutu denotes the transformation into the Black Swan. Additionally, careful observers will notice that nearly every scene featuring Nina alone includes a mirror reflecting her from some angle.

Aronofsky has effectively utilized this technique to showcase Nina's dual nature in psychosis. Through his unique style, editing, and mise-en-scene, Aronofsky has left a definitive mark on all five of his films. In an interview, he revealed that the roller coaster Cyclone deeply influenced him and he incorporated its intense structure to keep the audience engaged and entertained in his films. His goal is to captivate and entertain the audience, a feat he has undoubtedly accomplished in his films. (9)