1, What is Marxist Theory and how it may have been portraied films across geography and time frames    Marxism is a comprehensive political, economic, and social theory developed primarily by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the mid-19th century. It critiques capitalism and advocates for a classless society through the lens of historical materialism, which posits that societal developments are driven by material conditions rather than ideals. Central to Marxist theory is the idea that history is defined by the conflict between different social classes, primarily between the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class). Marx argued that this struggle would ultimately lead to the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of communism [1][2] Also, Marx described alienation as a condition in which workers become disconnected from the products of their labor, leading to a sense of powerlessness and disenfranchisement in a capitalist system. He believed that overcoming alienation was essential for achieving true human fulfillment [1][2]   Marxist theory in film examines the relationship between cinema and class struggle, focusing on how films reflect, critique, and influence societal structures under capitalism. Marxist film theory emerged prominently in the 1920s, particularly with Soviet filmmakers following the Bolshevik Revolution, and has since evolved to analyze a wide range of films across different cultures and eras. With filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein, who utilized cinematic techniques to express Marxist ideas. Eisenstein's works emphasized collective narratives over individual protagonists, contrasting sharply with the classical Hollywood style that centers on individualism [3][4]. Marxist films often highlight the struggles between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, aiming to raise class consciousness. They depict the realities of working-class life and critique capitalist exploitation, seeking to inspire social change through awareness [5][6].   1. Soviet Cinema As the Lenin quote that opens this reading guide suggests, the Bolsheviks immediately gave prominence to the cinema, initially as a tool for education and propaganda, and later as a means of artistic expression. During the Civil War, however, efforts to create a Soviet film industry were hampered by the severe shortage of materials, including film stock[6].    2. Weimar Cinema and German Critical Theory Prior to World War II, the Soviet Union was the only nation ruled by a Marxist political party, but Germany had a strong workers’ movement until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 put an end to all open political opposition. This movement was not only numerically strong – both the Social-Democratic Party and the Comintern-aligned Communist Party had hundreds of thousands of members, and revolutionary upsurges repeatedly threatened to overthrow the state apparatus between 1919 and 1923[6]       2,  How does The Parasite confirm with the Marxist Theory in film Bong Joon-ho's film Parasite serves as a profound illustration of Marxist theory, particularly in its exploration of class struggle, social inequality, and the dynamics between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The film intricately weaves these themes into its narrative, showcasing the stark contrasts between two families: the wealthy Parks and the impoverished Kims   Parasite vividly portrays the class struggle, a central tenet of Marxist theory. The Kim family, representing the working class, resides in a cramped basement apartment, struggling to make ends meet through menial jobs. In contrast, the Park family embodies the bourgeoisie, living in a luxurious home with ample resources. This juxtaposition highlights the economic disparities that exist within capitalist societies, where wealth accumulation for one class often comes at the expense of another.     For example, the depiction of Kim family’s social status is established in the opening scene. The movie starts with a cinematic shot and shows a semibasement, where Ki-Woo is searching for a Wi-Fi password because the entire family depends on a public/open network. He states to his sister that the password has been changed, on which she suggests her brother to try “123456789”, but unfortunately no luck. Finally, they manage to get it from the window of their washroom. Similarly, the scene of the mother and father was established as she kicks Ki-Teck, who is lying on the floor. That’s how the introductory scene was disclosed to unveil the entire family; their living standards, activities, social class, and everything.   The dark side of Ambition: While Parasite offers a glimpse of hope for upward mobility, it simultaneously warns of the dark consequences that ambition can bring. The Kims' desire to ascend socially leads them down a path of greed and violence, culminating in tragic outcomes. This duality serves as a critique of not only capitalism but also human nature under such systems—where desperation can drive individuals to extreme     Reference [1]https://www.britannica.com/summary/Marxism [2] https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marxism.asp [3] https://www.filmtheory.org/marxist-theory-on-films/ [4] https://philosophyinfilm.com/2020/07/13/10-marxist-films-for-philosophy-students/#google_vignette [5] https://www.culturematters.org.uk/index.php/arts/films/item/3243-marxism-goes-to-the-movies [6] https://www.historicalmaterialism.org/marxism-cinema-daniel-fairfax/    

I really like how you combine interviews to form a nuanced discussion about Malle’s filimic style, and you also mentioned a few famous directors he took inspiration from. Maybe we could do some research on them! Nevertheless, I suggest you write about some specific styles (e.g., French new wave, narrative cinema) and explain them in detail. (*^▽^*)

I read through one of your scholar sources . This essay really delves in-depth to how the culture of 1950 influenced Malle’s work. We want to focus on (the part of the essay where) around 1960-1970 so it can reveal to us information related to

Versatility as a Director Malle made documentaries, romances, period dramas, and thrillers. He often depicted provocative or controversial subject matter [1] Malle's a auteur theorist's bête noire. he was a sensualist, a romantic, he loved jazz and was fascinated by cultures. His documentaries took him to India and across the United States; his fiction features probed the sexual and political taboos of his day [7]. His most famous works include the crime thriller Elevator to the Gallows (1958), the romantic drama The Lovers (1958), the World War II drama Lacombe, Lucien (1974), the period drama Pretty Baby (1978), the romantic crime film Atlantic City (1980), the dramedy My Dinner with Andre (1981), and the autobiographical Au revoir les enfants (1987). He also co-directed the landmark underwater documentary The Silent World with Jacques Cousteau[2]     Documentary on India Malle visited India in 1968, and made the seven-part documentary series L'Inde fantôme: Reflexions sur un voyage and the documentary film Calcutta, which was released in cinemas.[2] From the deplorable situation in Calcutta to the south of the subcontinent he searches for the traditional India. He films fishermen, shepherds and farmers, and is amazed about the immense contradiction between the people who are dying of hunger and the impressive landscape they do it in. Malle shows the government attempts to modernize the traditional countryside. [3]  He also shows the contradictions between the commercial dancers who perform in musical like Indian feature films and a group of girls in Kaltchetra, who are learning the traditional sacred dances.Religion is the central theme of The Indians and the sacred. Malle argues that religion can be regarded as 'opium for the people', utilizing bizarre rituals, fetishism and (sometimes) myopia. [3] Concentrating on real India, its rituals and festivities, Malle fell afoul of the Indian government, which disliked his portrayal of the country, in its fascination with the pre-modern, and consequently banned the BBC from filming in India for several years.[2]   Romance film – The Lovers(1958) Equal parts scathing social satire and paean to sensualism, Louis Malle's elegant sophomore feature The Lovers (Les amants) charts the scandalous emancipation of young provincial housewife Jeanne Tournier With dialogue assistance from novelist Louise de Vilmorin. [4] Rather than following a couple, as its name would suggest, the film focuses squarely on a frustrated woman who finds what she was missing when she sleeps with a total stranger. The tension in her stillness echos the taut precision of the film’s construction. The Lovers is provocative, from its somewhat satirical title to its climactic scene of, indeed, sexual climax. [5] Malle effected a modern overhaul of Vivant Denon's Point of No Return, an obscure conte libertin dating to the eighteenth century.  [4]   Period dramas-Pretty Baby (1978) Pretty Baby is a 1977 American historical drama film directed by Louis Malle, written by Polly Platt. The film is based on the true account of a young girl who was sexually exploited by being forced into prostitution by her mother,  which was recounted in historian Al Rose's 1974 book  who photographed various New Orleans prostitutes in the early-twentieth century [6]   Thriller film- Elevator to the Gallows Associated by some critics with film noir,[1] and introducing new narrative, cinematographic, and editing techniques, the film is considered an important work in establishing the French New Wave and the New Modern Cinema.[2] The improvised soundtrack by Miles Davis and the relationship the film establishes among music, image, and emotion were considered ground-breaking.[8]   Tackling Challenging Themes   Filmmaking Style From French New Wave to late surrealism to classic narrative cinema, Louis Malle was one of the most versatile, provocative, and independent directors of the postwar period [9]Although often associated with the Nouvelle Vague directors, Malle’s debut preceded the arrival of the movement and he is often considered to be a traditionalist rather than an iconoclast in matters of style.[8]   -French New Wave The New Wave (French: Nouvelle Vague), also called the French New Wave, is a French art film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. The movement was characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favor of experimentation and a spirit of iconoclasm. New Wave filmmakers explored new approaches to editing, visual style, and narrative, as well as engagement with the social and political upheavals of the era, often making use of irony or exploring existential themes. The New Wave is often considered one of the most influential movements in the history of cinema[10]   Malle’s work is eclectic, dazzling, and endlessly innovative with a bleak and violence sense of frustration. He began his career in the late 1950s, right around the time that the New Wave exploded onto the French and international scene. Malle trained at a France’s premier film school. His early work was readily associated with the Wave[9] But he soon diverged stylistically and personally from the “Cahiers du cinéma gang”   late surrealism release in September 1975 of what he called his “mythological fairy tale taking place in the near future” disconcerted many, especially as people had expected him to follow up on his previous work. Black Moon opens as quasi science fiction—there seems to be some kind of nuclear war going on, with soldiers wearing gas masks—but immediately evolves into an elaborate surrealist fantasy. It structured along the logic of dreams, and based in sexual allegory [11]   narrative cinema when he was a film student, he was asked by undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau to collaborate on the nature film The Silent World. This auspicious debut went on to win both the 1956 Cannes Palme d’or and the 1957 best documentary Oscar. Malle handled much of the underwater cinematography himself, with the searching, inquisitive nature that would become the trademark of his greatest investigatory works.   short Vive le Tour, a commemoration of his country’s most watched sporting event as well as a personal reflection on one of his favorite pastimes. Malle later called Vive le Tour a “happy experience,” but it was only after he undertook the epic Phantom India, in 1968, that he established his documentary philosophy, adopting certain tenets of cinéma direct—improvisation, minimal crew, the refusal to organize reality—and applying them to a fairly consistently class-conscious, outsider perspective[12].     1 ("Where to begin with Louis Malle". BFI. Retrieved 2021-11-04.) 3 https://www.idfa.nl/en/film/8a158949-282e-4fe5-a26a-a74434eaba74/l'inde-fantome/ 4 https://letterboxd.com/film/the-lovers/ 7* https://bampfa.org/program/risk-and-reinvention-films-louis-malle 8  https://www.newwavefilm.com/french-new-wave-encyclopedia/louis-malle.shtml 9 https://www.europenowjournal.org/2019/03/04/the-cinema-of-louis-malle-transatlantic-auteur-edited-by-philippe-met/ 11 https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1907-black-moon-louis-in-wonderland 12 https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/561-eclipse-series-2-the-documentaries-of-louis-malle