The Essay Film: From Montaigne, After MarkerWhy have certain kinds of documentary and non-narrative films emerged as the most interesting, exciting, and provocative movies made in the last twenty years? Ranging from the films of Ross McElwee (Bright Leaves) and Agnes Varda (The Gleaners and I) to those of Abbas Kiarostami (Close Up) and Ari Folman (Waltz with Bashir), such films have intrigued viewers who at the same time have struggled to categorize them. Sometimes described as personal documentaries or diary films, these eclectic works are, rather, best understood as cinematic variations on the essay. So argues Tim Corrigan in this stimulating and necessary new book. Since Michel de Montaigne, essays have been seen as a lively literary category, and yet--despite the work of pioneers like Chris Marker--seldom discussed as a cinematic tradition. The Essay Film, offering a thoughtful account of the long rapport between literature and film as well as novel interpretations and theoretical models, provides the ideas that will change this. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
according activity adaptation aesthetic agency appears associated becomes begins Blue body camera central changing cinema close-up commentary commentator contemporary continually create critical cultural death defined describes diary direct documentary early emergency encounter engage especially essay film essayistic experience explores expression face figure filmmakers follows frame future Herzog’s human ideas identity important individual intellectual kind language later literary lived locate look lost Marker meaning memory movement moving narrative natural notes object offers ofthe ofthe film painting past performance perhaps perspective photographic play political portrait positions possibility practice present questions reality reenactments reflection refractive relation representational sense sequence shifting shot social sometimes space spatial specifically streets structure struggle suggests takes temporal thinking thought tion tradition turn visual voice writing