Spectacle in "classical" cinemas : musicality and historicity in the 1930s

Spectacle is not often considered to be a significant part of the style of ‘classical'cinema. Indeed, some of the most influential accounts of cinematic classicism define it virtually by the supposed absence of spectacle. Spectacle in ‘Classical'Cinemas: Musicality and Historicity in the 1930s brings a fresh perspective on the role of the spectacular in classical sound cinema by focusing on one decade of cinema (the 1930s), in two ‘modes'of filmmaking (musical and historical films), and in two national cinemas (the US and France). This not only brings to light the special rhetorical and affective possibilities offered by spectacular images but refines our understanding of what ‘classical'cinema is and was. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Contents 10 List of Figures 12 Acknowledgments 14 Introduction and Critical Contexts 16 PART I: Musicality 64 1 Performance Space 66 2 Emotional Topoi 126 3 Entertainment and Dystopia? 151 PART II: Historicity 162 4 Monumental History 170 5 Spectacular Vistas and the Décor of History 207 6 Critical History? 245 Conclusion 267 References 274 Index 288 Introduction -- Musicality. Performance space -- Emotional topoi. Entertainment and dystopia -- Historicity. Monumental history -- Spectacular vistas and the decor of history -- Critical history -- Conclusion.