auteur theory

American  

noun

1. (in film criticism) a theory that the director is the chief creator of a film and gives it an individual style that is evident in all aspects of the finished product.

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Etymology

Origin of auteur theory

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Any movie lover with half a mind knows that the auteur theory is bunk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

He adheres to the pervasive, pernicious auteur theory, which insists that even non-writing directors are the “authors” of their movies.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2024

The late film critic Andrew Sarris introduced the auteur theory to much of the world in the 1960s, adapting an idea from French New Wave cinema.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 10, 2022

Even at the time, some cinephiles perceived Kael’s essay as an effort to discredit the auteur theory, the then-ascendant notion that the best directors were responsible for the stylistic imprints of their films.

From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2020

Mangold is rarely an exciting director, but he’s matured into an accomplished journeyman, like the Hollywood directors who were revered before the auteur theory shifted the criteria.

From Slate • Nov. 15, 2019