The Dogme Movement and Why I Have a Problem with It

But in general, I find the whole concept to be very pretentious. Here's a little run-down of the movement's "Vow of Chastity":

1. Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found).

If you ask me, this sounds more stupid than "pure." Props and sets can enhance a film's effectiveness immensely. They are as much a part of the filmmaking process as a camera and actors.

2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot).

Music, in my opinion, is not used the way it should be in most films. It is often used as an "emotional trigger" telling how we should feel and when we should feel it. But one only needs to take a look at "2001" to see how important music can be when it is used in an original, creative way.

3. The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted. (The film must not take place where the camera is standing; shooting must take place where the film takes place).

If someone can explain to me the logic in this, feel free to do so.

4. The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera).

5. Optical work and filters are forbidden.

So am I too assume that a cinematographer's work is not part of "pure" filmmaking? And just what exactly is the problem with black and white?

6. The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.)

"People are murdered everyday. There's genocide, war, corruption. Every fucking day, somewhere in the world, someone sacrifices his life to save somebody else. Every fucking day, someone, somewhere, takes a conscious decision to destroy someone else. People find love; people lose it. For Christ's sake, a child watches a mother beaten to death on the steps of a church. Someone goes hungry. Somebody else betrays his best friend for a woman. If you can't find that stuff in life, then you, my friend, don't know crap about life!"- Adaptation

The rest is other technical stuff that's not that important, but here's the kicker. The Vow ends with this:

"Furthermore I swear as a director to refrain from personal taste! I am no longer an artist. I swear to refrain from creating a "work", as I regard the instant as more important than the whole. My supreme goal is to force the truth out of my characters and settings. I swear to do so by all the means available and at the cost of any good taste and any aesthetic considerations."

I can feel Akira Kurosawa and Federico Fellini spinning in their graves.