Film Language: A Semiotics of the CinemaA pioneer in the field, Christian Metz applies insights of structural linguistics to the language of film. "The semiology of film . . . can be held to date from the publication in 1964 of the famous essay by Christian Metz, 'Le cinéma: langue ou langage?'"—Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, Times Literary Supplement "Modern film theory begins with Metz."—Constance Penley, coeditor of Camera Obscura "Any consideration of semiology in relation to the particular field signifying practice of film passes inevitably through a reference to the work of Christian Metz. . . . The first book to be written in this field, [Film Language] is important not merely because of this primacy but also because of the issues it raises . . . issues that have become crucial to the contemporary argument."—Stephen Heath, Screen |
Contents
On the Impression of Reality in the Cinema | 3 |
Notes Toward a Phenomenology of | 16 |
Language or Language System? | 31 |
Some Points in the Semiotics of the Cinema | 92 |
Problems of Denotation in the Fiction Film | 108 |
Syntagmatic Analysis of the Image Track | 147 |
Syntagmatic Study of Jacques Roziers Film Adieu | 177 |
The Modern Cinema and Narrativity | 185 |
Mirror Construction in Fellinis 81½ | 228 |
Toward the Decline | 235 |
Notes | 253 |
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Common terms and phrases
Adieu Philippine Agnès Varda Alain Resnais alternate syntagma analysis André André Bazin André Martinet articulation autonomous segment autonomous shot bracket syntagma Cahiers du cinéma camera censorship Chapter cinemato cinematographic language Claude Lévi-Strauss codified concept connotation constitutes cultural defined denotation derived diegesis diegetic discourse distinction Edgar Morin elements Émile Benveniste episodic sequence Esthétique example expression fact Fellini film-maker filmic genre Godard grammar guage Guido impression of reality insert Jean Mitry Juliette language system langue large syntagmatic category less lexeme Liliane linguistic Louis Hjelmslev meaning Michel modern cinema montage narration narrative never object Pachala paradigmatic category parallel syntagma Pasolini passage perception photography Plausible present problem relationship Roland Barthes Saussure scene screen semiological semiotics sense sentence sequence shot signifier speak specific spectacle spectator speech structure syntagmatic types syntax tagma temporal term theater things tion units verbal language visual word