Projections of Memory : Romanticism, Modernism, and the Aesthetics of Film

Projections of Memory is an exploration of a body of innovative cinematic works that utilize their extraordinary scope to construct monuments to the imagination that promise profound transformations of vision, selfhood, and experience. This form of cinema acts as a nexus through which currents from the other arts can interpenetrate. By examining the strategies of these projects in relation to one another and to the larger historical forces that shape them--tracing the shifts and permutations of their forms and aspirations-- Projections of Memory remaps film history around some of its most ambitious achievements and helps to clarify the stakes of cinema as a twentieth-century art form. Although the length of commercially distributed feature films has remained relatively standardized since the mid-1910s, there is also a small but substantial body of ambitious works that utilize their extraordinarily long durations to give cinema the character of a religious ritual. While their methods and overall goals vary considerably, these works actively participate in a modernist exploration of the relationship between form and content, often taking their innovations to what seem to be their limits, simultaneously establishing and exhausting their own paradigms. Their makers strove to create cinematic cathedrals, monuments to the imagination that promise profound transformations of vision, selfhood, and experience. Unique both in their formal adventurousness and their modes of presentation, works like Napoleon (Abel Gance, 1927), Eniaios (Gregory Markopoulos, 1947-1992), Out 1 (Jacques Rivette, 1971), and Histoire(s) du cinema (Jean-Luc Godard, 1988-1998) utilize their temporal scale to create a particularly intense form of spectatorial engagement that is wedded to or related to a larger utopian program.0Synthesizing their disparate influences into magisterial edifices, these projects treat cinema as a space in which the most ancient forms can be made radically new Although The Length Of Commercially Distributed Feature Films Has Remained Relatively Standardized Since The Mid-1910s, There Is Also A Small But Substantial Body Of Ambitious Works That Utilize Their Extraordinarily Long Durations To Give Cinema The Character Of A Religious Ritual. Whiletheir Methods And Overall Goals Vary Considerably, These Works Actively Participate In A Modernist Exploration Of The Relationship Between Form And Content, Often Taking Their Innovations To What Seem To Be Their Limits, Simultaneously Establishing And Exhausting Their Own Paradigms. Their Makersstrove To Create Cinematic Cathedrals, Monuments To The Imagination That Promise Profound Transformations Of Vision, Selfhood, And Experience. Unique Both In Their Formal Adventurousness And Their Modes Of Presentation, Works Like Napoleon (abel Gance, 1927), Eniaios (gregory Markopoulos,1947-1992), Out 1 (jacques Rivette, 1971), And Histoire(s) Du Cinema (jean-luc Godard, 1988-1998) Utilize Their Temporal Scale To Create A Particularly Intense Form Of Spectatorial Engagement That Is Wedded To Or Related To A Larger Utopian Program. Synthesizing Their Disparate Influences Intomagisterial Edifices, These Projects Treat Cinema As A Space In Which The Most Ancient Forms Can Be Made Radically New. Projections of Memory is an exploration of a body of innovative cinematic works that utilize their extraordinary scope to construct monuments to the imagination that promise profound transformations of vision, selfhood, and experience. This form of cinema acts as a nexus through which currents from the other arts can interpenetrate. By examining the strategies of these projects in relation to one another and to the larger historical forces that shape them--tracing the shifts and permutations of their forms and aspirations--Projections of Memory remaps film history around some of its most ambitious achievements and helps to clarify the stakes of cinema as a twentieth-century art form. --Publisher description Projections of Memory is an exploration of a body of innovative cinematic works that utilize their extraordinary scope to construct monuments to the imagination that promise profound transformations of vision, selfhood, and experience. This form of cinema acts as a nexus through which currents from the other arts can interpenetrate. By examining the strategies of these projects in relation to one another and to the larger historical forces that shape them--tracing the shifts and permutations of their forms and aspirations--Projections of Memory remaps film history around some of its most ambitious achievements and helps to clarify the stakes of cinema as a twentieth-century art form.