The Cinema of the Swimming Pool (New Studies in European Cinema)

The swimming pool frequently appears in film not merely as a setting but as a dynamic site where social, political, cultural and aesthetic forces converge. What is it about this space that has so fascinated filmmakers and what kinds of cinematic investigations does it encourage? This collection features essays by an eclectic, international range of film researchers. Amongst the works analysed are classics such as The Cameraman (1928), The Philadelphia Story (1940) and La Piscine (1969); cult hits such as The Swimmer (1968) and Deep End (1970); and more recent representations of the pool in Water Lilies (2007), Sea Point Days (2009) and Ausente (2011). The pool is considered as a realm where artifice meets nature, where public meets private, where sexualities morph and blend; and as a space that reconfigures the relationship between architecture and narrative, in which themes of pollution, spectacle and reflexivity find unique expression. Approaching the swimming pool from a wide range of methodological perspectives, the essays in this collection stake a claim for the enduring significance of this exciting cinematic space. Contents 6 List of Illustrations 10 Foreword • David Trotter 16 Acknowledgements 20 Introduction: The Cinema of the Swimming Pool • Christopher Brown and Pam Hirsch 22 1 The Municipal Plunge: Silent Cinema and the Social Life of Swimming Pools • Chris O’Rourke 42 2 Cinematic Comedy and the Swimming Pool: Gender, Class, Coming of Age and Sexual Identity from The Philadelphia Story (1940) to Legally Blonde (2001) • Sheri Chinen Biesen 58 3 ‘The Anatomy of Atavism’: American Urban Modernity, Gothic Trauma and Haunted Spaces in Cat People (1942) • Alex Naylor 70 4
From Stadium to Street: Generations and Gentrification in Berlin Pool Scenes • Edward Saunders 82 5 The Artifice of Modernity: Alienation by the Pool Side in the Cinema of Michelangelo Antonioni • Axel Andersson 98 6 The Pools of The Swimmer (1968): Exurbia, Topography, Decay • Christopher Brown 110 7 Atmosphère d’Eau Sauvage: Reflections on La Piscine (1969) • François Penz 122 8 A Dangerous Age: Deep End (1970) • Pam Hirsch 142 9 Staging Embarrassment in The Last Picture Show (1971) and Morvern Callar (2002) • Rose Hepworth 154 10 Filming the Splash: David Hockney’s Swimming Pools on Film • Monika Keska 166 11 The Swimming Pool as a Site of Subversion during the Spanish Transition: The Case of Pepito piscina (1978) • Clara Garavelli 178 12 The Aesthetics of Overflow: Andrei Tarkovsky’s Nostalghia (1983) in Duration • Matilda Mroz 190 13 Urban Guerilla Playfare, or Skating through Empty Cinematic Pools in Dogtown and Z Boys (2001) • Micah Trippe 202 14
Gutta cavat lapidem: The Sonorous Politics of Lucrecia Martel’s Swimming Pools • Sophie Mayer 212 15 ‘The sea nymphs tested this miracle’: Water Lilies (2007) and the Origin of Coral • Emma Wilson 224 16 Swimming in Post-apartheid Cape Town: Sea Point Days (2009) • Piotr Cieplak 236 17 Cartographies of Desire: Swimming Pools and the Queer Gaze • Fernando Gabriel Pagnoni Berns 250 Notes on Contributors 260 Index 266 The Municipal Plunge: Silent Cinema And The Social Life Of Swimming Pools / Chris O'rourke -- Cinematic Comedy And The Swimming Pool: Gender, Class, Coming Of Age And Sexual Identity From The Philadelphia Story (1940) To Legally Blonde / Sheri Chinen Biesen -- The Anatomy Of Atavism: American Urban Modernity, Gothic Trauma And Haunted Spaces In Cat People / Alex Naylor -- From Stadium To Street: Generations And Gentrification In Berlin Pool Scenes / Edward Saunders -- The Artifice Of Modernity: Alienation By The Pool Side In The Cinema Of Michelangelo Antonioni / Axel Andersson -- The Pools Of The Swimmer (1968): Exurbia, Topography, Decay / Christopher Brown -- Atmosphère D'eau Sauvage: Reflections Onála Piscine / François Penz -- A Dangerous Age: Deep End / Pam Hirsch -- Staging Embarrassment In The Last Picture Show (1971) And Morvern Callar / Rose Hepworth -- Filming The Splash: David Hockney's Swimming Pools On Film / Monika Keska -- The Swimming Pool As A Site Of Subversion During The Spanish Transition: The Case Of Pepito Piscina / Clara Garavelli -- The Aesthetics Of Overflow: Andrei Tarkovsky's Nostalghia (1983) In Duration / Matilda Mroz -- Urban Guerilla Playfare, Or Skating Through Empty Cinematic Pools In Dogtown And Z Boys / Micah Trippe -- Gutta Cavat Lapidem: The Sonorous Politics Of Lucrecia Martel's Swimming Pools / Sophie Mayer -- The Sea Nymphs Tested This Miracle : Water Lilies (2007) And The Origin Of Coral / Emma Wilson -- Swimming In Post-apartheid Cape Town: Sea Point Days / Piotr Cieplak -- Cartographies Of Desire: Swimming Pools And The Queer Gaze / Fernando Gabriel Pagnoni Berns. Edited By Christopher Brown And Pam Hirsch. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Why has the swimming pool fascinated filmmakers? This collection investigates the appearance of the swimming pool in film not merely as a setting but as a dynamic site where social, political, cultural and aesthetic forces converge. Studied films include classics such as The Philadelphia Story (1940) and recent films like Water Lilies (2007).