Ex-centric Cinema: Giorgio Agamben and Film Archaeology (Thinking Cinema)

In the beginning, cinema was an encounter between humans, images and machine technology, revealing a stream of staccato gestures, micrographic worlds, and landscapes seen from above and below. In this sense, cinema's potency was its ability to bring other, non-human modes of being into view, to forge an encounter between multiple realities that nonetheless co-exist. Yet the story of cinema became (through its institutionalization) one in which the human swiftly assumed centrality through the literary crafting of story, character and the expression of interiority. __Ex-centric Cinema__ takes an archaeological approach to the study of cinema through the writings of philosopher Giorgio Agamben, arguing that whilst we have a century-long tradition of cinema, the possibility of what cinema may have become is not lost, but co-exists in the present as an unexcavated potential. The term given to this history is ex-centric cinema, describing a centre-less moving image culture where animals, children, ghosts and machines are privileged vectors, where film is always an incomplete project, and where audiences are a coming community of ephemeral connections and links. Discussing such filmmakers as Harun Farocki, the Lumiere Brothers, Guy Debord and Wong Kar-wai, Janet Harbord draws connections with Agamben to propose a radically different way of thinking about cinema. In The Beginning, Cinema Was An Encounter Between Humans, Images And Machine Technology, Revealing A Stream Of Staccato Gestures, Micrographic Worlds, And Landscapes Seen From Above And Below. In This Sense, Cinema's Potency Was Its Ability To Bring Other, Non-human Modes Of Being Into View, To Forge An Encounter Between Multiple Realities That Nonetheless Co-exist. Yet The Story Of Cinema Became (through Its Institutionalization) One In Which The Human Swiftly Assumed Centrality Through The Literary Crafting Of Story, Character And The Expression Of Interiority. Ex-centric Cinema Takes An Archaeological Approach To The Study Of Cinema Through The Writings Of Philosopher Giorgio Agamben, Arguing That Whilst We Have A Century-long Tradition Of Cinema, The Possibility Of What Cinema May Have Become Is Not Lost, But Co-exists In The Present As An Unexcavated Potential. The Term Given To This History Is Ex-centric Cinema, Describing A Centre-less Moving Image Culture Where Animals, Children, Ghosts And Machines Are Privileged Vectors, Where Film Is Always An Incomplete Project, And Where Audiences Are A Coming Community Of Ephemeral Connections And Links. Discussing Such Filmmakers As Harun Farocki, The Lumiere Brothers, Guy Debord And Wong Kar-wai, Janet Harbord Draws Connections With Agamben To Propose A Radically Different Way Of Thinking About Cinema.-- Demonstrates How Agamben's Ideas Can Enrich And Extend Our Understanding Of Film As A Medium And The Cinema As An Apparatus, Constantly Being Remade-- Girls And Other Incomplete Things: On Archaeological Method -- Gesture: Cinema Muto Mutato -- Dim Stockings And Pornography: Community, Spectacle And The Example -- Cinema As Laboratory: On Insects And The Anthropological Machine -- When The Assistants Profane Cinema -- Ex-centric Cinema. Janet Harbord. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 235-244) And Index. "Demonstrates how Agamben's ideas can enrich and extend our understanding of film as a medium and the cinema as an apparatus, constantly being remade"-- "In the beginning, cinema was an encounter between humans, images and machine technology, revealing a stream of staccato gestures, micrographic worlds, and landscapes seen from above and below. In this sense, cinema's potency was its ability to bring other, non-human modes of being into view, to forge an encounter between multiple realities that nonetheless co-exist. Yet the story of cinema became (through its institutionalization) one in which the human swiftly assumed centrality through the literary crafting of story, character and the expression of interiority. Ex-centric Cinema takes an archaeological approach to the study of cinema through the writings of philosopher Giorgio Agamben, arguing that whilst we have a century-long tradition of cinema, the possibility of what cinema may have become is not lost, but co-exists in the present as an unexcavated potential. The term given to this history is ex-centric cinema, describing a centre-less moving image culture where animals, children, ghosts and machines are privileged vectors, where film is always an incomplete project, and where audiences are a coming community of ephemeral connections and links. Discussing such filmmakers as Harun Farocki, the Lumiere Brothers, Guy Debord and Wong Kar-wai, Janet Harbord draws connections with Agamben to propose a radically different way of thinking about cinema. "-- "In the beginning, cinema was an encounter between humans, images and machine technology, revealing a stream of staccato gestures, micrographic worlds, and landscapes seen from above and below. In this sense, cinema's potency was its ability to bring other, non-human modes of being into view, to forge an encounter between multiple realities that nonetheless co-exist. Yet the story of cinema became (through its institutionalization) one in which the human swiftly assumed centrality through the literary crafting of story, character and the expression of interiority. Ex-centric Cinema takes an archaeological approach to the study of cinema through the writings of philosopher Giorgio Agamben, arguing that whilst we have a century-long tradition of cinema, the possibility of what cinema may have become is not lost, but co-exists in the present as an unexcavated potential. The term given to this history is ex-centric cinema, describing a centre-less moving image culture where animals, children, ghosts and machines are privileged vectors, where film is always an incomplete project, and where audiences are a coming community of ephemeral connections and links. Discussing such filmmakers as Harun Farocki, the Lumiere Brothers, Guy Debord and Wong Kar-wai, Janet Harbord draws connections with Agamben to propose a radically different way of thinking about cinema."-- Provided by publisher Machine generated contents note: -- Introduction -- 1 Ex-centric Cinema: An Archaeological Method -- 2 Mute Cinema: Gesture and the Impression of Character -- 3 Animal: Cinema as an Anthropological Machine -- 4 Profaning the Cinematic: Children, Assistants, Ghosts -- 5 Conditions of Cinematic Possibility: Repetition and Stoppage -- 6 The Coming Community -- Bibliography -- Index