CIN212H1 Lecture 5: Archaeology 1 (Tutorial 5)
Archaeology 1: The General (Tutorial 5)
Singer, “Hyperstimulus”:
• Large amounts of advertising that were overwhelming.
• This urban modernity shocks the human mind. People’s psyches are constantly attacked
by urban shocks.
• Role of cinema: there is a direct correlation between cinema as an entertaining
experience and urban modernity. By going to the cinema, you immunize yourself against
the shocks of the urban world.
• The outside world contains too much stimulation and the human mind wants to escape
that.
• Impact aesthetic: increases intensity of film, editing patterns, movements of camera
• There is an underlying similarity between desire to be shocked by the urban world and
the desire to be shocked by cinema.
Gunning, “Cinema of Attractions”:
• Films that show something (for e.g. electrocution of elephant, head inflates and blows
up).
• Film is aware of the audience and directly addresses it.
• It doesn’t strive to tell any complex story (don’t have complex narratives), just to show
the audience something.
• Short duration.
“Vaudeville”:
• A series of travelling variety shows (e.g. a variety of attractions).
• An enthralling array of sights.
Chase sequences turn into parallelism:
• Chase sequences: one time and space vs. parallelism: two different times and spaces.
There are more cuts in parallelism which creates suspense.
The General and “The Cinema of Attractions”:
• Based entirely on chase sequences. Little narrative other than the chase sequences.
Chase sequence one way, and then the other way back.
• Characters are more developed than shorter films (cinema of attractions). We know
their goals and motivations that drive the plot.
• The film lets action sequences fully enfold (long takes, long shot).
• Keaton’s physicality (strong and agile) is part of his character in the film.
Document Summary
By going to the cinema, you immunize yourself against the shocks of the urban world: the outside world contains too much stimulation and the human mind wants to escape that. Impact aesthetic: increases intensity of film, editing patterns, movements of camera: there is an underlying similarity between desire to be shocked by the urban world and the desire to be shocked by cinema. Gu(cid:374)(cid:374)i(cid:374)g, (cid:862)ci(cid:374)e(cid:373)a of attra(cid:272)tio(cid:374)s(cid:863): films that show something (for e. g. electrocution of elephant, head inflates and blows up), film is aware of the audience and directly addresses it. It does(cid:374)"t strive to tell a(cid:374)(cid:455) (cid:272)o(cid:373)ple(cid:454) stor(cid:455) (cid:894)do(cid:374)"t have (cid:272)o(cid:373)ple(cid:454) (cid:374)arratives(cid:895), just to show the audience something: short duration. (cid:862)vaudeville(cid:863), a series of travelling variety shows (e. g. a variety of attractions), an enthralling array of sights. Chase sequences turn into parallelism: chase sequences: one time and space vs. parallelism: two different times and spaces. There are more cuts in parallelism which creates suspense.
