Images. The International Journal of European Film, Performing Arts and Audiovisual Communication
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Fantastyka naukowa w polskim piśmiennictwie krytycznofilmowym przełomu lat pięćdziesiątych i sześćdziesiątych XX wieku
Get PDFThe article is devoted to the Polish reception of science-fiction cinema; the statements of film critics from 1956–1965 were analysed. During this period, science fiction, previously absent from the screens of Polish cinemas for ideological and censorship reasons, returned to the repertoire and became the subject of press discussions and reviews. The analysis of articles devoted to this genre and published at the time allows reconstruction of the cultural context in which science-fiction productions operated. The article consists of three main parts. In the first of these, the author describes which science fiction films were present in Polish cinemas at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s. In the second part, he analyses press statements devoted to the history and aesthetics of the genre. The subject under consideration in the third part is the reception of two productions, which at the time enjoyed the greatest interest from contemporary critics: Godzilla (Gojira, 1954, dir. Ishirō Honda) and The Silent Star (Der schweigende Stern 1960, dir. Kurt Maetzig).The article is devoted to the Polish reception of science-fiction cinema; the statements of film critics from 1956–1965 were analysed. During this period, science fiction, previously absent from the screens of Polish cinemas for ideological and censorship reasons, returned to the repertoire and became the subject of press discussions and reviews. The analysis of articles devoted to this genre and published at the time allows reconstruction of the cultural context in which science-fiction productions operated. The article consists of three main parts. In the first of these, the author describes which science fiction films were present in Polish cinemas at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s. In the second part, he analyses press statements devoted to the history and aesthetics of the genre. The subject under consideration in the third part is the reception of two productions, which at the time enjoyed the greatest interest from contemporary critics: Godzilla (Gojira, 1954, dir. Ishirō Honda) and The Silent Star (Der schweigende Stern 1960, dir. Kurt Maetzig)
David Avidan’s Message from the Future. Nuclear fantasies of the galactic poet
Get PDFDavid Avidan’s Message from the Future (1981) is one of few Israeli science fiction films ever made. This ambitious project of the well-known avant-garde poet has been forgotten for many years, as a result of a financial and artistic failure of the movie. The paper shows Avidan’s doomed film as an interesting cultural text that can be read as the director’s commentary on the Israeli reality of his time. Contrary to the artist’s claims about the global ambitions of the picture, Message from the Future is immersed in the local, exploring it under the guise of narrative structures borrowed from Hollywood. The text analyzes a precise deconstruction of the plot patterns characteristic for the classic American SF films from the 1950s, which Avidan adjusted to the Israeli sociopolitical landscape at the turn of the seventies and eighties.David Avidan’s Message from the Future (1981) is one of few Israeli science fiction films ever made. This ambitious project of the well-known avant-garde poet has been forgotten for many years, as a result of a financial and artistic failure of the movie. The paper shows Avidan’s doomed film as an interesting cultural text that can be read as the director’s commentary on the Israeli reality of his time. Contrary to the artist’s claims about the global ambitions of the picture, Message from the Future is immersed in the local, exploring it under the guise of narrative structures borrowed from Hollywood. The text analyzes a precise deconstruction of the plot patterns characteristic for the classic American SF films from the 1950s, which Avidan adjusted to the Israeli sociopolitical landscape at the turn of the seventies and eighties
Krzysztof Ptak. Oczy i twarze: Kornblumenblau – 300 mil do nieba – Cynga
Get PDFIn this text, I analyze Krzysztof Ptak’s contribution to such films as Kornblumenblau and Cynga by Leszek Wosiewicz, and 300 miles to heaven by Maciej Dejczera. These films belong to a time that can be characterized as a period of “hot times”, when Krzysztof Ptak was interested in using cinematographic methods to the limits of their possibilities. As far as the history of Polish cinema is concerned, it was then that Polish directors were looking for a new language to talk about the Polish past. Wosiewicz and Dejczer avoided the accusation of “americanization” of Polish cinema, which was charged to Władysław Pasikowski. This may be because Krzysztof Ptak was the cinematographer of their films.In this text, I analyze Krzysztof Ptak’s contribution to such films as Kornblumenblau and Cynga by Leszek Wosiewicz, and 300 miles to heaven by Maciej Dejczera. These films belong to a time that can be characterized as a period of “hot times”, when Krzysztof Ptak was interested in using cinematographic methods to the limits of their possibilities. As far as the history of Polish cinema is concerned, it was then that Polish directors were looking for a new language to talk about the Polish past. Wosiewicz and Dejczer avoided the accusation of “americanization” of Polish cinema, which was charged to Władysław Pasikowski. This may be because Krzysztof Ptak was the cinematographer of their films
Temporalne aspekty gier cyfrowych
Get PDFTemporal issues related to digital games go beyond the strictly literary or film studies character of the description and implies technological and marketing issues. It can be outlined by referring to the concept of Andrzej Stoff, who analyzed the spatial dimension of the world of the novel (“delineating space”, “creating”, “functionalizing”, “valorising”). Relating these four detailed issues – constituting the basic subject of description, analysis and interpretation – to temporal aspects, it is appropriate to talk about measuring (conventionalizing, relativizing) time, thematizing, functionalizing and valorizing it. Taking into account the above categories, the most typical concretizations of temporal phenomena can be further defined: functional (classic chronometry, clock, server time, time of a running process), gameplay (real time, relativization, quest time, respawn time), thematic concretizations (e.g. retrospection as a compositional dominant of multimodal narratives) and marketing concretizations (commercialization of time).Temporal issues related to digital games go beyond the strictly literary or film studies character of the description and implies technological and marketing issues. It can be outlined by referring to the concept of Andrzej Stoff, who analyzed the spatial dimension of the world of the novel (“delineating space”, “creating”, “functionalizing”, “valorising”). Relating these four detailed issues – constituting the basic subject of description, analysis and interpretation – to temporal aspects, it is appropriate to talk about measuring (conventionalizing, relativizing) time, thematizing, functionalizing and valorizing it. Taking into account the above categories, the most typical concretizations of temporal phenomena can be further defined: functional (classic chronometry, clock, server time, time of a running process), gameplay (real time, relativization, quest time, respawn time), thematic concretizations (e.g. retrospection as a compositional dominant of multimodal narratives) and marketing concretizations (commercialization of time)
Gry pamięci. Valiant Hearts: The Great War i My Memory of Us w perspektywie kultury historycznej
Get PDFThe paper aims to outline how video games Valiant Hearts: The Great War (Ubisoft Montpellier, 2014) and My Memory of Us (Juggler Games, 2018) use narrative and ludic structures to create commemorative stories about the First World War and the Second World War. The author refer to the concept of historical culture (among others, in Jörn Rüsen’s interpretation) and examine the connections between the two video games focusing on the issue of designers’ intentions (digital games as examples of the commemoration of the past), the genre similarity (2D platform games), the intermedial convergence and the press reception. He discusses the strategy of the cultural agreement between designers and users, analyzes historical narratives as a part of the gameplay, examines relations between the individual and collective’s perspective and characterizes immersion’s mechanisms which reinforce players’ identification with the victims of both wars.The paper aims to outline how video games Valiant Hearts: The Great War (Ubisoft Montpellier, 2014) and My Memory of Us (Juggler Games, 2018) use narrative and ludic structures to create commemorative stories about the First World War and the Second World War. The author refer to the concept of historical culture (among others, in Jörn Rüsen’s interpretation) and examine the connections between the two video games focusing on the issue of designers’ intentions (digital games as examples of the commemoration of the past), the genre similarity (2D platform games), the intermedial convergence and the press reception. He discusses the strategy of the cultural agreement between designers and users, analyzes historical narratives as a part of the gameplay, examines relations between the individual and collective’s perspective and characterizes immersion’s mechanisms which reinforce players’ identification with the victims of both wars
Kolor pieniędzy. Filmowy styl Michaela Manna
Get PDFAccording to film studies experts, Michael Mann’s movies has the look and the smell of reality. The polisensoric character of his works is used to exhibit the aura of non-screen reality. Michael Mann uses narrative and stylistic elements to show the destructive side of social inequalities. In his genre films, he is presenting themes of social injustice and toxic corporate system (which are often hidden behind the elegant façade of late capitalism’s aesthetics).According to film studies experts, Michael Mann’s movies has the look and the smell of reality. The polisensoric character of his works is used to exhibit the aura of non-screen reality. Michael Mann uses narrative and stylistic elements to show the destructive side of social inequalities. In his genre films, he is presenting themes of social injustice and toxic corporate system (which are often hidden behind the elegant façade of late capitalism’s aesthetics)
Szafa marzeń. Dziecięce kryjówki w E.T. Stevena Spielberga
Get PDFThe filmmakers made efforts to present reality from a child’s viewpoint. Among the strategies applied for this purpose, we find a detailed approach to grasping the atmosphere of children’s bedrooms. The wardrobe, intimate lighting, cozy nooks and child’s props allow the creation of a space of autonomy and the uncanny effect, which slips away from adults’ perception. The author uses works on the anthropology of place, the psychoanalysis of dreams, film studies analyses of E.T. and also the history of cinematic representation of children’s worlds in order to describe the specificity of domestic space in Spielberg’s movie. At the same time, the author proposes that E.T. can be interpreted as a movie about the relative independence of children’s worlds in relation to the overpowering and stiflingAmerican suburbs. If we follow the proposed interpretation, then the popular judgment of E.T. as a conservative and family narration from Reagan’s days would seem to be too one-sided.The filmmakers made efforts to present reality from a child’s viewpoint. Among the strategies applied for this purpose, we find a detailed approach to grasping the atmosphere of children’s bedrooms. The wardrobe, intimate lighting, cozy nooks and child’s props allow the creation of a space of autonomy and the uncanny effect, which slips away from adults’ perception. The author uses works on the anthropology of place, the psychoanalysis of dreams, film studies analyses of E.T. and also the history of cinematic representation of children’s worlds in order to describe the specificity of domestic space in Spielberg’s movie. At the same time, the author proposes that E.T. can be interpreted as a movie about the relative independence of children’s worlds in relation to the overpowering and stiflingAmerican suburbs. If we follow the proposed interpretation, then the popular judgment of E.T. as a conservative and family narration from Reagan’s days would seem to be too one-sided
„Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite”. 2001: Odyseja kosmiczna Stanleya Kubricka
Get PDFThe article deals with the relationship between film and painting, as well as the sciences (physics, cosmology) of the 20th century. It introduces the historical context important for the time when Kubrick’s film was made, and addresses the issue of abstraction in cinema, contemporary painting and cosmology, confronting artistic and scientific ideas (the models of the Universe). The starting point for the detailed analysis was “autonomous abstract film” (Alicja Helman), which as a film inside a film combines various cinematic types and genres. The analysis of takes and sequences of this film inside a film made it possible to decipher the director’s idea, which is expressed in intra-film references. The particular results of the research were compared with the possible iconographic context (Gerhard Richter). The inclusion of a diagnosis obtained on the basis of materials examined in the Kubrick Archives in London (Kamil Kościelski), and references to cultural tradition (Plato), supplement the aforementioned considerations in an important way.The article deals with the relationship between film and painting, as well as the sciences (physics, cosmology) of the 20th century. It introduces the historical context important for the time when Kubrick’s film was made, and addresses the issue of abstraction in cinema, contemporary painting and cosmology, confronting artistic and scientific ideas (the models of the Universe). The starting point for the detailed analysis was “autonomous abstract film” (Alicja Helman), which as a film inside a film combines various cinematic types and genres. The analysis of takes and sequences of this film inside a film made it possible to decipher the director’s idea, which is expressed in intra-film references. The particular results of the research were compared with the possible iconographic context (Gerhard Richter). The inclusion of a diagnosis obtained on the basis of materials examined in the Kubrick Archives in London (Kamil Kościelski), and references to cultural tradition (Plato), supplement the aforementioned considerations in an important way
Neurobiologia na tropach uniwersalizmu percepcji sztuki. Prawa estetyki V.S. Ramachandrana i W. Hirsteina w kontekście dzieła sztuki filmowej. Studium przypadku: Nadja Michaela Almereydy
Get PDFVilayanur S. Ramachandran and William Hirstein are the authors of the concept of a work of art understood as an exaggerated stimulus in the creative process. The aim of art, according to them, is (a) to show the essence of something in a perceptually accessible way, and (b) to evoke a strong reaction from the recipient. Scientists say that the aim of art is not to perfectly reproduce reality, but to present the very essence of an object, scene or event by exaggerating its most characteristic features, while ignoring non-essential features. The effect of this treatment is a super stimulus, which is a supernatural stimulus that does not exist in the real world. Researchers have proposed seven universal – evolutionarily and culturally – neurological laws of aesthetic experience in relation to the visual arts (painting and sculpture). I propose to extend the tool apparatus of neuroaesthetics from the area of unimodal arts to a work of film art. It is an interesting tool for research into film aesthetics and masterpieces. In this paper, I will discuss these laws and make a representative analysis of them in a visual case study of Michael Almereyda’s film Nadja (1994). The main goal of my work is to show the stricto naturalistic position. Man is not aware that the first stages of cognitive perception have a significant impact on his interest in art, what he pays attention to, and on aesthetic experiences on a sensual, unconscious level. It is an interdisciplinary attempt to provide consistency of research approaches in the humanities with the naturalistic one in the area of natural sciences, which shows that on some levels we are very similar to each other and only in the process of ontogenesis do we acquire individuality – that we are governed by universal laws, not only those related to ourindividual interests and tastes.Vilayanur S. Ramachandran and William Hirstein are the authors of the concept of a work of art understood as an exaggerated stimulus in the creative process. The aim of art, according to them, is (a) to show the essence of something in a perceptually accessible way, and (b) to evoke a strong reaction from the recipient. Scientists say that the aim of art is not to perfectly reproduce reality, but to present the very essence of an object, scene or event by exaggerating its most characteristic features, while ignoring non-essential features. The effect of this treatment is a super stimulus, which is a supernatural stimulus that does not exist in the real world. Researchers have proposed seven universal – evolutionarily and culturally – neurological laws of aesthetic experience in relation to the visual arts (painting and sculpture). I propose to extend the tool apparatus of neuroaesthetics from the area of unimodal arts to a work of film art. It is an interesting tool for research into film aesthetics and masterpieces. In this paper, I will discuss these laws and make a representative analysis of them in a visual case study of Michael Almereyda’s film Nadja (1994). The main goal of my work is to show the stricto naturalistic position. Man is not aware that the first stages of cognitive perception have a significant impact on his interest in art, what he pays attention to, and on aesthetic experiences on a sensual, unconscious level. It is an interdisciplinary attempt to provide consistency of research approaches in the humanities with the naturalistic one in the area of natural sciences, which shows that on some levels we are very similar to each other and only in the process of ontogenesis do we acquire individuality – that we are governed by universal laws, not only those related to ourindividual interests and tastes