European Film Theory (AFI Film Readers) - Softcover

Trifonova, Temenuga

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415960444 ISBN 13: 9780415960441

Publisher: Routledge, 2008

Synopsis

European Film Theory explores the ‘Europeanness’ of European film theory, its philosophical origins, the ‘culture wars’ between ‘Continental’ and ‘Analytical’ film theory and philosophy, the major discursive and epistemological shifts in the history of Continental film theory, the relationship between Continental philosophy of art and philosophy of history and European film theory. Writing from a range of disciplines and perspectives, the contributors to this new volume in the AFI FILM READERS series offer fresh interpretations of European film theorists and illuminate the political potential of European film theory.

About this title

Review:

'The essays in European Film Theory provide a long overdue critical remapping of what has been called 'theory' in contemporary film studies.  No philosophical stone goes unturned in this remarkable volume, and many are then sculpted into provocative and original arguments.' - D.N. Rodowick, Harvard University, USA

'A key resource for film theory... A richly detailed volume in every respect, the text is distinguished by its scope, the sweep of its rhetoric, and the numerous films it examines... Highly recommended.' - CHOICE

Synopsis:

This collection brings together specially commissioned articles by established and emerging scholars from the disciplines of Film Studies, Philosophy, Critical and Visual Studies, Romance Languages and Literatures, and Aesthetics.The book inquires into the 'Europeanness' of European film theory; explores the philosophical origins of European film theory; reflects on the increasing determination of European film theory by philosophy and the very possibility of 'film-philosophy'; examines the 'culture wars' between 'Continental' and 'Analytical' (Anglo-Saxon) film theory and philosophy as well as major discursive and epistemological shifts in the history of Continental film theory; and foregrounds the continuities (and discontinuities) between Continental philosophy of art (Hegel, Kant, Arnheim, Balazs, Brecht, Lukacs, Adorno, Kracauer) and philosophy of history (Hegel, Eisenstein, Adorno, Benjamin, Kracauer) on one hand, and European film theory on the other hand, between classical and contemporary European film theory, and between cinematic concepts and nineteenth and twentieth century European art movements.It also investigates the concepts of time, space, subjectivity and national identity across a range of theoretical approaches; challenges dominant interpretations of realism and theatricality in cinema; offers new interpretations of major European film theorists; illuminates the political potential of European film theory; and draws connections between theoretical developments in different European countries.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0415960444
• ISBN 13: 9780415960441
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384