Mirror and Secular Myths (18 Cases of Film close reading)

Author: Dai Jinhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: The preface makes it evident that film is not a story that emerges naturally and nakedly. The narrative of the film is also not, as people might think, solely carried by the actors' performances and the dialogue of the characters. In fact, everything we experience in the darkness of the cinema is like the flickering shadows seen by Plato's cave dwellers—it is merely the narrative effect of a complex cinematic language. Therefore, for a filmmaker or a film theorist, the interpretation of the film is not only a specialized form of film appreciation but also a revelation of the film. They should discover the film's narrator hidden behind the cinematic language, reflectively uncover the construction of certain audio-visual effects, and find the narrative and meaning structures within the rich and clever cinematic narrative strategies. This is a strategy for interpreting the film. It differs from general film criticism and has become a more proactive form of signification practice. A film interpreter's close reading and revelation of a film will not stop at the film itself but will place the film within a broader social, historical, and cultural context to uncover its ideological "secrets." In a sense, the significance of contemporary film theory lies in its role as a tool for interpretation, enabling film interpreters to uncover the mysteries of film. This book takes 18 films as examples and demonstrates the basic methods of film close reading and interpretation strategies from five perspectives. It can be said that it is also a shortcut to learning contemporary film theory through interpretation practice. A film interpreter should not only be a film connoisseur but also a social critic who dares to step out of the cave and face the sunlight.