Poetics of Cinema, Volume 1Chilean filmmaker Raoul Ruiz is the author of some 100 feature-length films, along with numerous plays and multi-media installations. In Poetics of Cinema, Ruiz takes a fresh approach to the major themes haunting our audio-visual civilization: the filmic unconscious, questions of utopia, the inter-contamination of images, the art of the copy, the relations between artistic practices and institutions. Based on a series of lectures given recently at Duke University in North Carolina, Poetics of Cinema develops an acerbically witty critique of the reigning codes of cinematographic narration, principally derived from the dramatic theories set forth by Aristotle's Poetics and characterized by Ruiz as the "central-conflict theory." Ruiz's impressive knowledge of theology, philosophy, literature and the visual arts never outstrips his powerful imagination. Poetics of Cinema not only offers a singularly pertinent analysis of the seventh art, but also shows us an entirely new way of writing and thinking about images. |
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actor artists audiovisual world avant-garde battle become believe called camera central conflict theory century Chiloé Chinese cinema conceive copy copyist Danièle Huillet decides decision departure point described discover dream elements ensemble example face fiction figures filmmakers Flash Gordon Florenski Ford Beebe fragments happen hierarchical order history of cinema horse human idea imagine imitates immobility industry instance invented invisible Jean-Marie Straub kind King landscape lives looking Madame Bovary Manoel de Oliveira memory Ministry models monk monster movement movie musical Mystery mythomania narrative nature never objects painter painting paradigm Paul Valéry perspective Peter Greenaway philosophical photographic unconscious play poem poetic possible problem produce provincial square provoke real world reality Recta Provincia Reginald Le Borg rhetorical rules scene secret film secret plan sequence shadows shamanic Simonides space spectator story theater theme things utopian utopian images vanish virtual visual