Thoughts on Béla Balàzs

In Béla Balàzs’ “The Close-Up” and “The Face of Man,” the film theorist emphasizes the power of facial expression. He first argues that audience identification is a major part of the movie-watching experience. Spectators connect to the characters onscreen through camera movement, point-of-view shots, and the overall illusion of reality through continuity. Balàzs credits the close-up for our enhanced emotional connection to the film’s characters and story. The close-up shot can capture a person’s true emotions through subtle facial movements since the details are on display for us to analyze.

While I do agree with Balàzs thoughts on the significance of facial expression for emotional impact, I had an issue with the lack of attention on the art of acting. In fictional films, the accuracy of expressions to convey emotion depend on the actor’s capability and talent.
The final scene from La La Land (Damien Chazelle, 2016) came to mind when thinking about the subtlety and precision in facial acting. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone give each other a bittersweet look of recognition, where they both acknowledge that they needed to be apart in order to achieve their dreams. Their shared gaze says more than words ever could, and it beautifully encapsulates the film. This scene would evidently not succeed without the expertise of Gosling and Stone.
There are many films where the love interests lack chemistry, making it difficult for the audience to connect. For instance, in Matt Reeves’ The Batman (2022), I found that Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz’ romantic on-screen relationship was very cold, distant and void of chemistry. Under these circumstances, no amount of close-up shots could emotionally align me with these characters. Therefore, Balàzs’ theory on camera movement and framing is, in a way, interlinked with acting.

Works Cited
Balàzs, Béla. “Béla Balázs: The Creative Camera; The Close-Up; The Face of Man.” Critical Visions in Film Theory, Bedford/St. Martin’s, Boston, Massachussetts, 2011, pp. 125–135.