Art House Cinema Key Terms

Some key terms for understanding art house cinema

By J. Stoltzfus, writer/programmer LOCAL CITIZEN

The emergence of "art house cinema" represents a true revival of traditional visual arts within a general market headed directly toward futuristic digital technology. Art house cinema is something that a business will often choose to participate in out of a specific business plan, ideology or niche market pursuit where business leaders are clear on how their offerings will contrast to those of other more "mainstream" competition. Knowing about some of the key terms associated with art house will help to bolster this critical knowledge.

Subtitles

Subtitles are additional wording that flashes on screen during a film. In art house, subtitles are often a way to show what people are saying in foreign languages, as one prominent mark of art house cinema is its willingness to cross linguistic boundaries.
Try: See a definition of subtitles at AntiMoon. Get resource material in some surprising trends in subtitled art house in Spain at DescubreMadrid.

Revival house or repertory cinema

A revival house or a repertory cinema is a venue where audiences watch specific kinds of classic films. The art house movement includes many of these "houses of unconventional film."
Try: See more on repertory houses as well as other info on art house at The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia.

SIFF

The Seattle International Film Festival is a force to be reckoned with in art house cinema. This mammoth festival sets the scene for a lot of art house trends. Follow up on what's happening with large established art house and independent cinema conventions like these for a better handle in the industry as a whole.
Try: See more on what's happening with the SIFF with stories like this one from the Seattle Times.

Recession cinema

This term, coined in times of economic downturn, has a lot to do with art house cinema as opposed to the "blockbuster" style films from large Hollywood producers. Recession cinema is the marker for what kind of film can survive in a down market.
Try: Find out about recession cinema, as well as a lot more in feature stories on the future of art house, from Paste Magazine online.

Analog projectors and projection

Analog or "old school" projection methods are often part of an art house movie setup. This is one way that aficionados of classic or art house theatre seek to differ from the newer Hollywood film trends. In some art house venues, authentic analog projection replaces the norm, which is today's low cost digital projection method.
Try: See how analog projection works at HowStuffWorks.

Avant garde

This term, originally from the French, refers to a novel approach or something new, especially in the arts. It is a term sometimes used to differentiate art house from more "mainstream" film.
Try: Find definitions of avant garde at the Free Dictionary online. Also see Dictionary.com for more definitions.