43 research outputs found
Sharunas Bartas : in isolation
No full textThe author analyzes the works of Sharunas Bartas - a Lithuanian avant-garde filmmaker, one of the core persons of the neo-modernist trend in contemporary art cinema. Syska describes the origins of the unique aesthetics and idiosyncratic elements of film style which allow Bartas to create one of the most convincing models of cinematic melancholy. The topic of the time, the past, subjectivity and decay as well as youth destroyed by the history, alienation and poverty are the most visible in his films. Syska also highlights these elements of film narration which present Bartas as a representative of Slow-cinema, underlying the use of post-colonial methodology in description strategies
Przemijanie świata Aleksandra Sokurowa
No full textALEXANDR SUKOROV’S PASSING WORLDThe author of this article concentrates his attention on the films directed by Alexandr Sokurov, a distinguished contemporary Russian filmmaker. Syska describes the political and aesthetical background of Sokurov’s works, underlying their key motifs: melancholy, nostalgia, reminiscences, decay of physical world, memories and time. The author mentions autobiographical components of Sokurov’s screenplays, describes his childhood defined by eternal displacement of his family, as well as the adultness — with political troubles caused by anti-communism attitude and close friendship with Tarkovsky. Syska analyzes the literary context of Sokurov’s films, cultural paradigm, religious character of film narration and theme of carnal sacrifice. All of them allow him to describe the human as someone who is deeply devoted to the internal world of memories, nostalgia, passing time and intimate relationship with dying parents.ALEXANDR SUKOROV’S PASSING WORLDThe author of this article concentrates his attention on the films directed by Alexandr Sokurov, a distinguished contemporary Russian filmmaker. Syska describes the political and aesthetical background of Sokurov’s works, underlying their key motifs: melancholy, nostalgia, reminiscences, decay of physical world, memories and time. The author mentions autobiographical components of Sokurov’s screenplays, describes his childhood defined by eternal displacement of his family, as well as the adultness — with political troubles caused by anti-communism attitude and close friendship with Tarkovsky. Syska analyzes the literary context of Sokurov’s films, cultural paradigm, religious character of film narration and theme of carnal sacrifice. All of them allow him to describe the human as someone who is deeply devoted to the internal world of memories, nostalgia, passing time and intimate relationship with dying parents
The Violence and Necrophilia at Coen Brothers’
No full textW swojej analizie filmów Ethana i Joela Coenów Syska wykorzystuje narzędzia psychoanalizy Ericha Fromma, by pokazać nekrofilską naturę bohaterów ich filmów. Przemoc, jeden z najistotniejszych elementów filmowej rzeczywistości, jest przedmiotem analizy autora. Syska wskazuje na nowe sposoby obrazowania przemocy, podkreślając fizjologiczny charakter aktów przemocy i biologiczną naturę umierania. Sakralna i metafizyczna wartość śmierci zostaje umniejszona, a na pierwszy plan wysuwają się jej fizjologiczne aspekty. Syska stara się udowodnić, że hiperbolizacja przemocy w filmach braci Coen jest nie tylko punktem wyjścia dla postmodernistycznych zabaw z doświadczonym widzem, ale także próbą wciągnięcia go w patologiczny dyskurs, którego istotą jest estetyczna i moralna akceptacja okrucieństwa. Syska udowadnia, że nekrofilia, będąca jedną z najistotniejszych właściwości składających się na ich filmową rzeczywistość, jest również cechą charakterystyczną postmodernizmu.In his analysis of Ethan and Joel Coen’s films Syska makes use of the tools of Erich Fromm’s psychoanalysis to show the necrophyliac nature of their films’ heroes. Violence, one of the most essential components of film reality, is analysed by the author. Syska points out the new ways of depicting violence by stressing the physiological nature of acts of violence and biological nature of dying. The sacred and metaphysical value of death is belittled while prominence is given to its physiological aspects. Syska tries to prove that the hiperbolisation of violence in Coen brothers’ films is the starting point not only for post-modernist plays with experienced spectators but also the attempt to involve them in a pathological discourse whose essence is aesthetic and moral acceptance of cruelty. Syska proves that necrophyliac nature, which is one of the most essential properties making up their film reality, is also a characteristic feature of post-modernism
Šarūnas Bartas — w izolacji
No full textSHARUNAS BARTAS — IN ISOLATIONThe author analyzes the works of Sharunas Bartas — a Lithuanian avant-garde filmmaker, one of the core persons of the neo-modernist trend in contemporary art cinema. Syska describes the origins of the unique aesthetics and idiosyncratic elements of film style which allow Bartas to create one of the most convincing models of cinematic melancholy. The topic of the time, the past, subjectivity and decay as well as youth destroyed by the history, alienation and poverty are the most visible in his films. Syska also highlights these elements of film narration which present Bartas as a representative of Slow-cinema, underlying the use of post-colonial methodology in description strategies. Translated by Rafał SyskaSHARUNAS BARTAS — IN ISOLATIONThe author analyzes the works of Sharunas Bartas — a Lithuanian avant-garde filmmaker, one of the core persons of the neo-modernist trend in contemporary art cinema. Syska describes the origins of the unique aesthetics and idiosyncratic elements of film style which allow Bartas to create one of the most convincing models of cinematic melancholy. The topic of the time, the past, subjectivity and decay as well as youth destroyed by the history, alienation and poverty are the most visible in his films. Syska also highlights these elements of film narration which present Bartas as a representative of Slow-cinema, underlying the use of post-colonial methodology in description strategies. Translated by Rafał Sysk
Panorama kontekstów amerykańskiego noir
No full textFILM NOIR CONTEXTS The author in this essay analyzes the phenomenon of American film noir, emphasizing the external, off-film contexts that influenced Hollywood in the forties. Syska describes political, ideological, social and cultural situation in this decade and shows how particular circumstances affected some films noir. Author does not limit his description to detective or gangster stories but also compares these classical noir films to other genres of the forties e.g. war films, dramas, melodramas, spy films. Syska in first paragraphs defines phenomenon of film noir and describes its genealogy, as well as stresses its overgenre character. Afterwards author analyzes several crucial contexts of Hollywood films in the forties. He emphasizes literature background and shows differences between classical Victorian detective stories and modern American books. Later Syska describes the influence of World War II Holocaust, feelings of German immigrants in USA, deep anxiety over Japan invasion on Hollywood films. He also stresses the fear caused by nuclear weapon and communism expansion. Afterwards, the author writes about aesthetical context of American noir, highlighting the influence of German expressionism, French poetic realism, Italian neorealism as well as technical development in lighting and camera equipment. Next part of the essay is focused on psychoanalysis, existentialism and Marxism which affected the hopeless atmosphere of American noir and changed the conception of evil, undermined idea of American Dream and emphasized the role of coincidence. Finally, Syska describes the condition of Hollywood film companies and independent enterprises e.g. Mark Hellinger films. Last paragraphs are focused on the end of classical film noir in the fifties and reinterpretation of it in counter-culture period. FILM NOIR CONTEXTS The author in this essay analyzes the phenomenon of American film noir, emphasizing the external, off-film contexts that influenced Hollywood in the forties. Syska describes political, ideological, social and cultural situation in this decade and shows how particular circumstances affected some films noir. Author does not limit his description to detective or gangster stories but also compares these classical noir films to other genres of the forties e.g. war films, dramas, melodramas, spy films. Syska in first paragraphs defines phenomenon of film noir and describes its genealogy, as well as stresses its overgenre character. Afterwards author analyzes several crucial contexts of Hollywood films in the forties. He emphasizes literature background and shows differences between classical Victorian detective stories and modern American books. Later Syska describes the influence of World War II Holocaust, feelings of German immigrants in USA, deep anxiety over Japan invasion on Hollywood films. He also stresses the fear caused by nuclear weapon and communism expansion. Afterwards, the author writes about aesthetical context of American noir, highlighting the influence of German expressionism, French poetic realism, Italian neorealism as well as technical development in lighting and camera equipment. Next part of the essay is focused on psychoanalysis, existentialism and Marxism which affected the hopeless atmosphere of American noir and changed the conception of evil, undermined idea of American Dream and emphasized the role of coincidence. Finally, Syska describes the condition of Hollywood film companies and independent enterprises e.g. Mark Hellinger films. Last paragraphs are focused on the end of classical film noir in the fifties and reinterpretation of it in counter-culture period. 
Alexandr Sukorov’s passıng world
No full textThe author of this article concentrates his attention on the films directed by Alexandr Sokurov, a distinguished contemporary Russian filmmaker. Syska describes the political and aesthetical background of Sokurov’s works, underlying their key motifs: melancholy, nostalgia, reminiscences, decay of physical world, memories and time. The author mentions autobiographical components of Sokurov’s screenplays, describes his childhood defined by eternal displacement of his family, as well as the adultness - with political troubles caused by anti-communism attitude and close friendship with Tarkovsky. Syska analyzes the literary context of Sokurov’s films, cultural paradigm, religious character of film narration and theme of carnal sacrifice. All of them allow him to describe the human as someone who is deeply devoted to the internal world of memories, nostalgia, passing time and intimate relationship with dying parents
Lisandro Alonso - gaps of film realism
No full textTematem eseju jest twórczość argentyńskiego reżysera Lisandra Alonso, autora takich filmów jak: La Libertad, Los Muertos, Fantasma i Liverpool. Autor artykułu analizuje specyfikęfilmowego stylu artysty, koncentrując się na różnorodnych formach ekranowego realizmu. Najpierw stara się prześledzić potencjalnych protoplastów Alonsa, konfrontując poetykę argentyńskiego twórcy z modelami realizmu typowymi dla Roberta Bressona, Béli Tarra Chantal Akerman. Twierdzi, że reżyser aktualizuje Bressonowską koncepcję kinematografu, czyli wizję premélièsowskiego filmu, pozbawionego konwencjonalnej emocjonalności, odległego od kinowego spektaklu i przywiązanego do „dokumentalnej” faktury opowiadania. Z drugiej strony Syska podkreśla, że Bresson uogólnia i syntetyzuje, odbierając bohaterom niepowtarzalność, podczas gdy Alonso nadaje postaciom walor unikatowości, a proponowany przez reżysera realizm pozostaje najczystszy, służebny wobec pejzażu i postaci-aktora. Autor zaznacza także stosowane przez Alonsa techniki dystansacyjne, eliptyczność fabularną, unikanie puent i specyficzny charakter subiektywizmu niewyrastającego poza ramy klasycznie ujętych norm narracji obiektywnej (analiza sceny snu z filmu La Libertad). Autor obszerny fragment poświęca także analizie stosunków temporalnych w filmach Alonsa, stosując roboczą kategorię czasu teraźniejszego – niedokonanego.The author of this essay focuses on the films directed by Argentinean filmmaker Lisandro Alonso ("La Libertad"," Los Muertos"," Fantasma and Liverpool"). The article examines the specific film style, focusing
on various forms of the cinematic realism. Firstly, the essay proposes the list of the Alonso’s potential
protoplasts, confronts the Argentinean filmmaker with the film poetics conceived by Robert Bresson, Béla Tarr and Chantal Akerman. The author claims that the Alonso’s conception updates Bressonian idea of “cinematography”, although Argentinean director rejects the process of semiotic synthesis, instead proposing the uniqueness of the characters, the purest realism – ancillary to the landscape and the actor. Besides, Syska describes the distancing techniques used by Alonso, ellipsis in the film plot, the avoidance of the punchlines and the specific nature of the subjectivity located inside the classical objective narration (e.g. the analysis of a sleep scene from the movie La Libertad). The author also analyzes the temporal relations in Alonso’s films – using the term called present tense progressive
The Inner World of Women: Chantal Akerman’s Early Work
No full textAutor dokonuje analizy wczesnych filmów belgijskiej reżyserki Chantal Akerman, koncentrując się na ważnym w nich motywie zamkniętych przestrzeni i wnętrza oraz prywatnych i intymnych światów bohaterek. Za egzemplifikacje posłużyły najwcześniejsze fabularne i awangardowe dzieła reżyserki, m.in. Wysadź moje miasto, Ja, ty, on, ona, Hôtel Monterey, Jeanne Dielman, Wieści z domu, Spotkania z Anną. Syska opisuje dziedzictwo projektu artystycznego Akerman, wyróżniając strukturalizm i feminizm, a zarazem wpisuje je w tradycję filmowego modernizmu, z którego reżyserka świadomie korzystała. Klaustrofobiczne pokoje, motyw drzwi i okna, wrażenie odcięcia i samotności doświadczanej w izolowanych przestrzeniach stanowiły dla Akerman metafory pojemne znaczeniowo. Eksponowały zarówno doświadczenie kobiecości, seksualną odmienność, lęk oraz kulturowo-narodową obcość. Komunikacja z własnym ciałem, wewnętrzny język emocji, dialog z prywatnymi wspomnieniami nakładały się na związki bohaterek z otaczającą je najbliższą przestrzenią – ciasną, odseparowaną i własną, choć budzącą obcość i niepokój.The author analyzes the early films of the Belgian director Chantal Akerman, focusing on the major theme of confined spaces and interiors as well as the private and intimate worlds of the heroines. He refers to Akerman’s early work such as Blow up My Town, I, You, He, She, Hotel Monterey, Jeanne Dielman, News from Home, Meetings with Anna. Syska describes Akerman’s art project, highlighting the role of structuralism and feminism, and at the same time places them in the of film modernism, tradition, which the director has used consciously. Claustrophobic rooms, the theme of doors and windows, an atmosphere of being cut off and all alone in isolated spaces are all meaningful metaphors in Akerman’s work. All of these expose women’s experience, sexual difference, fear and cultural alienation. Communication with one’s own body, the internal language of emotion, the dialogue with private memories overlap with the relationship of the heroines with their nearest surrounding space - narrow and isolated, but their own, though giving rise to feelings of alienation and anxiety
Smart Cinema: Wise Cinematography From Indieworld
No full textAutor poddał analizie jedną z najważniejszych ścieżek amerykańskiego kina niezależnego lat 90. – smart cinema. Opisał kontekst produkcyjno-dystrybucyjny i ulokował go w pejzażu indieworld – fenomenu rozwijającego się od 25 lat w USA. Następnie prześledził najważniejsze cechy smart filmów, koncentrując się na ich konserwatyzmie estetycznym i światopoglądowym, ale także na kwestii ironii oraz przypadku. Uznał, że smart filmy to antyteza kina familijnego, ale jednocześnie tęsknota za pryncypiami amerykańskiego modelu stosunków społecznych. Syska stworzył wstępny zarys zjawiska, przywołał najważniejszych jego twórców: Paula Thomasa Andersona, Tamarę Jenkins, Alexandre’a Payne’a, Todda Solondza i innych, a także zestawił smart cinema z quirky cinema.The author analyses one of the most important paths of American independent cinema of the 1990s – smart cinema. He describes the context of production and distribution, and places it in the landscape of indieworld – the phenomenon developing over the last 25 years in the United States. Then he traces the most important features of smart films, focusing on their conservative aesthetics and worldview, but also on the question of irony and random chance and coincidence. He argues that smart films are the antithesis of the beloved family film, but at the same time they express a longing for the principles of American social relations. The author creates a preliminary outline of a phenomenon and lists its principle creators: Paul Thomas Anderson, Tamara Jenkins, Alexandre Payne, Todd Solondz and others. He also compares smart cinema with quirky cinema
Experiments with the Split Screen
No full textPrzyglądając się fenomenowi podzielonego ekranu (split screen), autor najpierw opisuje historię jego analogowej wersji w kinie niemym, kiedy narzędzie to było czasami stosowane w scenach rozmów telefonicznych bądź snów albo w celu rozszerzenia czasoprzestrzeni o wewnętrzne sceny/ekrany. Następnie Syska skupia się na kinie postklasycznym i przedstawia analizę różnych form podzielonego ekranu w Grand Prix (1966) Johna Frankenheimera, Sprawie Thomasa Crowna (1968) Normana Jewisona czy w Dusicielu z Bostonu (1968) Richarda Fleischera. Ten specjalny rodzaj podzielenia ekranu można pojmować jako konsekwencję pojawienia się dynamicznej narracji, jako efekt wpływu technologii telewizyjnych oraz eksperymentów z obszaru media-artu. W trzeciej części eseju autor zastanawia się nad współczesnymi, cyfrowymi wersjami split screenu, rozpoczynając od Ksiąg Prospera (1991) Petera Greenawaya, a kończąc na 127 godzinach (2011) Danny’ego Boyle’a i Przypadkach Tracey (2007) Bruce’a McDonalda. Głównym celem artykułu jest analiza podzielonego ekranu, który wydaje się odpowiedzią na ewolucję nowoczesnych sposobów komunikacji, a ponadto wiąże się ze zjawiskiem multiplikacji w procesie przekazywania informacji oraz z regresem spójnego i kompletnego w warstwie fabularnej i czasoprzestrzennej systemu komunikacji z odbiorcą. Split screen może być postrzegany jako naturalna forma opisu doświadczeń wizualnych w naszych czasach – jako ekwiwalent podzielonej kompozycji w okienkach aplikacji komputerowych, wiadomościach TV czy na bilbordach oraz multiplikacji we współczesnym systemie komunikacyjnym.The article examines the phenomenon of split screen. Firstly Syska describes the history of analogue split screen in silent cinema when this tool was sometimes used in scenes with phone conversations, dreams and intra-diegetic film screenings. Later, the author focuses on the post-classical cinema and presents the analysis of the various forms of split screen in Grand Prix, The Thomas Crown Affair or The Boston Strangler. This special kind of screen division is observed as a consequence of dynamic narration, influence of TV-style, and experiments in media art. The third part of the essay is concentrated on contemporary, digital split screen - beginning with Prospero’s Books and concluding with 127 Hours and The Tracey Fragments. The main purpose of the article is to analyze the split screen as a response to evolution of modern ways of communication, the phenomenon of multiplication in process of information delivery and the regress of single, integrated subject in narrative methods. Split screen can be perceived as the natural form of the description of visual experiences in our time - as an equivalent of the divided composition in computer window applications, TV news, billboard system and multiplicity in contemporary communication system
