The Aesthetics and Psychology of the Cinema

422 Pages·1997·10.43 MB·English

by  Jean Mitry

THEA ESTHETIACNSD
PSYCHOLOGOYF
THEC INEMA
JEANM ITRY
TRANSLATED BY CHRISTOPHER KING
I DIA A U IVERSITY PRESS
Bloomtionnn n dI ndianapoli

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Translatfroedm thea bridgededi tiono fE sthiteiqpstuy echc logduici enem a
byJ eaMni tr(y1 990)
Original French edition© 1963 byG roupeM ame,1 3ru,e Raymond
Losse.ran7d5,0 1P4a,ris ,F rancAel.lri ghtreservs ed
Fu1REPRJsmEDr I PAPERBACX I 2000
TIWISU.TJO • 0 1997BY IDIANA UNlVERSITY PRESS
AU CHTS RESERVED
o parotf t hibsoo k maybe reproduocreu dt iliiznea dn yf ormo rb ya ny
meanse,l ectroonrim cech anicailn,c ludpihnogt ocopyianngdr ecording, or
bya nyi nformatisotno raagned re trievsayls tewmi,t hopuetr mi si oni nw rit­
ingf romt hep ublisThhee rAs.soci atioonfA mericUanni versiPrestsesy' Res­
olutioonn P ermissicoonnss tittuhteoe nsl eyx cepttioot nh ip rohibition.
The paperused int hipsu blicamteeitosnt hem inimumre quiremensto f
American ationaSlt andafrodIr n formatSciioenn ces-Permanoefn ce
Papefto r PrinLtibedr aryM ateriAaNlSsI,23 9.48-1984.
Manufactuirnte hdeU niteSdt atoef A merica
Libraoryf C ongresCsa Woging·in·PubliDcaattai on
MitryJ,e an.
[EstMtiqueet p ychologdiucine e ma.E nglish}
Th.e aestheatincdsp ychol.oogfty h ec inemIaJ e an Mitry;
tralna tebdyC hristopKhienrg .
p. cm.- (TheSoci ety forC inemaS tuditersa nslasetriioesn)
Includbeisbio lgrpahicalre ferencaensdin dex.
ISBN0-253-3 3 302-4.( alpka.p er)
1.M otiopni ctures-Aest2h.Me ottiicso.pn i ctures-Psychological
a pect . L Series.
P 1995.M54513 1997
791.43'01-<lc21 96-54298
lSB 0-253-21377--0( pb:ka lkp.a per)
2 3 4 055 04 6 0 30 20 100

CONTENTS
•
••
FOREWORTDO T HE GLISTHR AS LATIBOY B RIAL EWIvSi i
EDITORI' TSR ODUCTIBOY B E OITP ATAxRi ii
I TRODUCTI1O
I.P RELIMINARIES
Cinemaan dC rea.tion4
Cinemaan dLa nguag1e3
Worda ndI mag1e9
IIT.H EF ILMI MAGE
The Image I2t9s elf
Structouftr heIesm ag5e9
IllR.H YTHMA ND MONTAGE
TheB eginnoifnM gosn tag89e
CinematiRch yth1m0 4
The PsychoolfoM gyo ntag1e5 0
IVR.H YTHMA ND MOVINGS HOTS
TheL iberCaatmeedra an dD ept-of-Fielhd 168
SpeeacnhdS oun2d3 0
V.T IMEA ND SPACEO F THE DRAMA
lnS earcohfa D ramatSict ruct2u7r6 e
ConteanntdFo rm 336
OTES3 81
I DE 389

FOREWORD TO THE ENGLISHT RANSLATION
BriaLne wis
JeaMni trlyo vethde cinemaan dd evoteds hifPtr.e viotuhsi nkeirnste reisntth eed
mucho fh ilsi ftoei t. cinemhaa dl argedleyv eloptheedi r de­
Atth e centoefra nyc ritthiecoarll yi eas scriptainodtn hse oruinedse thre i nfluence
fundamenetxaple rietnowc hei cah critoifcn ewldye velopsitnyglo effis l mp ractice,
remaidnesv otdeede ipn hi so rh erh earat , whicthhe yt endteodc hampiaostn h fien al
"whaitf o"r " howc omeo"r " whye"x peric­ausoeft hec inemBau.tb yt he1 960thse,
encew,h icgho eso nt og eneraat lei fe'csi nemhaa di,n a s ensbee,e fnu lilnyv ented
worko fo bservartaitoino,n aliiznatteilo­snt,y lis,ta incdaM liltyrwya sth e firstto a t­
lectiaonndt, h eoUrny.d erneaittah l Jle,a n tempttot akset ocokfth isp henomenionn
Mitrwya sd rivebny t he" wow" experaili­lts v arieatnydc omplteyx.i
enceH.e lovetdh ee xperieonfsc iett iinng Mitrwya so neo f theea rliuensitv ersity
fronotf th es creHene.l ovetdh em ovies. teachoeffir ls mh istoarnydt heoarnyd o ne
Drivebynt h"ew ow,M"i trenyd eavored ofth e firstto l egitifimlimza ee stheatisc s
toe xplatihne" wh,y"" whaitf a,n"d " how ano bjeocfst e riosutdsuy .H e plannheids
comeW"h:y th ew orlodn th es creen swoa s two-volEusmteh etaisqa u dee finitsitveep
compellWihnyg,w. h enl eavithnegt hea,t erforwaradn da wayfr omt haotfh ipsr ede­
licfoeu lsde esmo p alaen dfl atW.h icfihl ms cessocrosr,r ectthieneigrr r oarnsdm ediat­
gavues t hiesx perieHnocweth .e yw orked ingth eird isputThees .d isciplinset ill
themiarg iWch.i cfihl mfsa ilaenddw hy. seemeydo unegn ougthoa ccethpatt s ort
JeaMni tryE'sst heteitpq suyec hodluog ioef e ncapsulaatnidntr agn scendpenetr ­
cinemfiar,sp tu blisihne1 d9 63-i6s5t ,h us spectAicvken.o wledhgiipsnr ge decessors'
ad escripatinoddn e fensoefa c erttayipne contributtooi uornu sn derstanodfci enrg­
,
ofc inemaan,i mprotatnytp beu tc ertaintlayi tny peosrfo, r mso,f fi lmhen onetheless
nott heo nloyn eH.e u semda nyo ft hei n­ founeda rlier tohvienrktpelaryrs t iHsiasn .
tellecwteuaaplo nosf h isd a,yi ncludinfigr svto lumSet,r uctwuoruelsdt, r anscend
psycholotghiecoaarlny d p henomenolog,y these" monumensttayll istaincdsd "e fine
tov alortihzicesi nemaab ovael olt hetros , thee ssenocfae l fill me xperieHnicsse e.c ­
definaen e ssenwchei cwha sa ndr emains ondv olumFeo,r mewso,u ltdr ethate cin­
nowt hee ssenocfte h e" wow"e xperienceem.a i ni tvsa riosutsy laensd m anifesta­
Mitryc'isn emcao mpristehso smeo vies tionWsh.i lhei ds escripotfit ohnevs a lues
whiche levautsfe r omt hee verayyd,p re­ andc apaciotfith ees c inemaad mittedly
sentinag v ivicdo,n crweotrel odf e xperil­eatdo a critichaile rarocrhc ya noint,i s
encper,e gnawnitts hym bolimce anianngd oneh,e c laimbsa,s ed onnom te rep refer­
deefpe elian wgo,r lwdh icihs" sameb"u t enceb uto n a scientainfiacl yosfith se
"other." uniqcuaep aciatnidee xsp resspiovtee ntials
Estheteitqp usey choldoug ciien emaap ­ oft hec inemiat self.
peareadtt hem omenotf a signifipcaarn­t Mitrayt tacthkeed n eedt oe xplaainnd
adigm sihnti hfheti stoorffy i lsmt udiae s,c orrewcitth e xtraordeicnlaercyt idceilsvm­,
momenotf a wakeninga nds elf-consciionugis n­taon yl iteratthuamrtie g hhte lapc ­
nessM.i trpyl ayead p ivotroallei nt his counftoth re m aturianrfgto rmp:h ilosophy,
viii FOREWORD TO THE ENGLISHT RANSLATION
psychgoyl,ol inguisbtiicosly,o, pg hysicss,i oonfi deatsh routghhne a rratpirvees en­
aestheatnidcm,so ,s ts ignificthaen lti,t erat­atioonf c oncrreetael itlya-nag uaegme­
turoeffi lmth eorayn dc ritiictissewmlh fi,c h beddeidna nda risfirnogtm h ee xperience
hew ast hefi rsttop reseansat s ystematoifct hec oncreTthei.si nvestiglaetaidosn
bodyo fk nowledwgoer thoyfa nalyasnids himi ntloe ngthy disocfut shseni aotnusr e
critique. ofp ercepatnidoi nn telletchtseiy omnb,o lic
Estheetptis qyuceh doulc oignieiesmt ,ah en,c apaciotfti heaesr tasn,dt heex prescsai­ve
botahb oufitl ma nda boufitl mt heo.rIn y pacitioefds i scurlsainvgeu aigtes eHleaf r.­
facwte,fi ndw ithiitna tl eathrseet major guetsh eu niquset atoufst hec inemaasa
ambitieoancsoh,f w hicMhi trya ttemtpot s meanosf e xpresswihoinci hs a tt hes ame
fulficlolm prehensiavp eslyyc:h oloofthg ey timaed oubloefr eal,ai nta yrta,n da kind
filme xperieannac ees,t hetic-lthien­guoifls atnigcu age.
oryo ffi lma sa m eanosf s ymboleixcp res­Forb ettaenrdf owro rsiet,w asM itry's
sioann,d a c rithiicsatloo rffiy l mt heo.r y fatteh ahti wsr itibneggsi antt hed awno f
Mitrwyo ulfidr sdte limaintdi nvestigatfiel ma estheatnidcs sp ani tesn tihries tory
ac entrkanlo otf e xperiefnaticatlwo hrisc h upt ot hes tructuarnadld iescto nstructivist
structaulorelf o urfi lme xperieTnhcees.e theoriethse 19o7f0 Ons .t hep ositsiivdee ,
"structudreefisn"we h ati ti st os iitnf rontthis gavMei trayn e xtraordiinnatriym acy
ofa s creaenndw atcahm oviHee.d escribewsi th andh istorpiecraslp ecotni vteh e
thmee chaniwshmisc ahll owu st op erceivew orkosfo thearssw ,e lalso nt heev olution
movemenatn dd eptht,h ef undamentaolfh iso wnw orkM.i trwya sr ealolnyeo f
psycholodguiaclaioltf ty h meo vinigm age thefi rsttr umeo dernosffi lmth eor,y tar e­
asr eaaln dn otr eathle,s tructuring asmpeencdtso usilmyp orttarnatn sitfiigounrael,
ofth e framea,n dt hec oncrqeutael iotife s whow asa blteos yntheasnidzc eo rrtheec t
soun.dH e contratshtessp ee rceptuaanld worko fh ipsr edecesasnodpr osi nitnth e
psycholoagsipceaclot fsth e filme xperid­irectioonfn ewa pproaches.
encwei tthh ee xperiefnetaitaulore fos t her On thoeth ers idietl, e hdi mi ntdoe bates
artlsa,y itnhgeg rounfdo arc laithma tth e whictho daayp peaurn important, trapping
cinemhaa sa unique potaenndut niiaqlu e himo nt het raileidnggoe f a p aradireg­m
vocataisoa nn a rfto rmw hicehn gagaelsl jectbeytd h ce ritwihcos wetrofe o llthoew :
oft hsee nsseism ultaneousgloye.os n M itgrrya nd aesthetic theory which focuses on
tos howh owv arious osrft oyrlmeossffi lm filma sa no bjeocfpt e rceptiMoint.rc yo n­
workt oc readtief femroednetos f t hec ore tributtoet dh ep aradisghmi ifntfi lmth e­
cinematic experience, itswi tohro,yul te apdferfionghigniipgsn r ge decesBsuothr es .
truees sence. alssou ffertheeds ame faantdae l,m oims­t
Mitrtyh eenx plotrheese xpressiavned medialt.yMe itrpyu blishhiefisdl mt heory
symbolciacp aciotfit ehsec inemFai.l ims jusatss emiotibcesc amfea shionjaubsiltne ,
more tahrathn,e a rguebse,c auistce a nb e­ timet ob ec ritiqausae ndo nscientific ide­
comed iscouarnsdle a nguaagswe e llH.o w alisbty t hen ew" scientoiffis ltmst "h eo,r y
doesfi lms igniHfoyw? doesi ts aya nd followCihnrgi stiMaent zi nF ranacned i n
whatc ani ts ayT?h iiss t hes econgdr eatB ritaJiunsi.tn t imteo b ecomuen fashion­
interrogoafhti iowsno rka ndt heh earotf ablvei rtuoavlelryn ight.
hiase sthaentdic cr ittihceaolra yni: n vesti­This wasa ne xtraordiunnafroirltyu nate
gatioofnth e cinemaasa k inodf l anguagec oincidbeontcphee ,r sonfaolMrli yt rayn d
systwehmi ccha nw orkt owartdh eex pres-foarn yonien tereisntht iendk isnegr iously
FOREWORD TO THE ENGLISHT RANSLATION ix
abofiultm I.nF ranhciweso rwka sl argelgyi,v tenha et tenhtieop na itdoh iwso rk,
undeserdviesdmliys,Is nEe ndg.l ihsihs, t haMte tzr ealitzheeid m portoafn ce
monumehnitsatloo fthr eyc inermeam aineMdit rsyw 'r itienvgeswn,h illeea dthien g
untransalnahdti teshd e,oi rosyn layp pearc­harignae n ewd irection.
inngo wm,o rteh atnh iyretaylr asti enthisr , Mitwrays a w ondergfeunle,r eonuesr,­
transloaftt hiaeob nr idvgeerds eidoint egde tpiecr saonnthd i nrkH.ee h aadre mark­
byB enoita nPpdau tbalri isnFh readn icne ablmee morfyofi rl masn sda we verything
1990( sePea tairn'tsr odufcotliloonw ihnecg o ualsmd a ny taispm oesss iHbewl aes.
thipsre facWeh)e.rM ei tirsyk nowinti, s bornt oa m iddlef-acmliailsnSys o issons,
largely tthhear noaulgyhos feo st hernse:a Rre imisn1, 9 07(." JeMaint riysa" c tu­
DudlAenyd rewc'hsa pitnThee rM ajFoirl ma laln yo md ep lumweh ichhec hofrsoem
Theoorrmi yeo sw nb ooJke,aM ni taryn d tah ema po fF ranrecpel,a chient go,lm de ,
Aesthoeftt hiCeci sn eImrao.on fyi ronieJse,a n-ReneG-oPeitegrhrelele uR coku ge
manpye opklneo Mwi trwyo'rsthk r oughR illdaersAd c redseP resfontTahien es.)
twoe xtended bcyrh iigtsri eqrauitev sa lf,a mimloyv edP atrsoio sm e yteenal rast er,
ChrisMteitapzna, r ttlyr ansilnSa ctreede onn.t hdee aothfh ifsa theWrh.i le Mitry says
Whaitrs e marktaomb enl oew i nr eadinhgew asn oatp articublrairllslyti uadnetn t,
thitrsa nslaitistho enf reshonfMe istsr y'hsec laitmohs a vael wabyese fna scinated
descriopftht eifi olnme xperiIenhn icned.­b yth ep hysisccaile nacnedhs o wt hings
sigthhtae,r gumeonfht isms a nyc riticwso rSkp.e ndaih niggs hc hoyoelaw ri tah
oftenc sreuedthmee ;ya rneo stom ucsha y­familiyn M anchesEtnegrl,ah nedf ,re ­
intgh aMti trgyo itwt r onbgu rta thtehra tq uentthecedi neamsaak inodfr efuagned,
hiwsa sn oatq uestwioornt ohfys eriouibste caamc ee ntrfaolco ufhs i isn teHree st.
stu.d y returtnoPe adra i" sc ineamdad ict."
Semiohtaishc asd i tdsa ya,n dM itry Mitrsye emtso hkanvoew ann dh ung
ariwsiethst hinse wt ranslfraotmit ohne, o uwti tehv eryboontd hyPe a rfiilsmth ,e ­
ashaessi wte rseti,li lm portsatinlrtle, l ea­tearn,da rstsc enetsh:Pe r evberrotth ers,
vanItit.sr eaalm layt toefar d equaAst ioAnr.t auAdr,a goAnn,d rBer etAolnb,e rto
filmi sa c omplseoxc icaull,t uprsaylc,h oC­avalcJaenatiEn,p steLionu,iD se lluc
logiacnadlp ,h ysipchaeln omesnooi nt, ( whol atweoru lcdo itnh ee xpression
canb ea nalyfzreoddm i fferpeenrts pe"cp­hotogteoin nidei"tc ha"atmtea goifthc e
tivaensdth, e t heorcireistl,ia cnaglu agmeosv,i eMsi"tr ys peanl ti aftet empttoi ng
andm ethodolwohgiiciehns h atbhiets ed escrHiebh ee)l.pf eodu Pnadr ifisr'sst film
perspeccatcnio veexsTi hsfeta .ic stn, oo ne cluHbe.w roftoear n edd itmeadno yfth e
caenx pltahipens ycholpoogwieocrfaa l earlciiensejtmo au rnaHleas s.s iosntth eed
certtayiponef fi lmb ettthearMn i trNyo. setso fn umeropurosd uctisouncsh as
oneh ase vedre scrthiebe exdp erioefn Ncaep olbeyAo bne Gla nc(eE.v entMuiatlrlyy
themsoev ibeest tNeoor n.he a esv ewrr it­woulpdro ducsee vesrhaolfir ltm osf h is
tebne tctreirt ifcoeirxs amm,p olfae n", a u­own.H)em etS ergEeiis ensitnPe airni s,
teucri"n eomraa n" arcti"n e-moafth e anIdb elitehveniecs o unwtaessr e mitnoa l
worokf s,a ,yS ergEeiis enstoerJi onh nh ilsa ttehre .oH reyw orkberdi ewfliyt h
Fortdw,oc reawthoorm sa dteh tey poefs JeaRne noHierh .e lpteodc ofouthned
filMmist hreyl mdo sdte aTra.k einnth is CinemathFeraqrn;uaeHi sete a.u gfhitl m
context,i dMeiaatnsdrd ey s'csr iapret iohniss taottr hyI en stdietsHu atu tes Etudes
fundamevnatlapilrldoy,f oIutin sdc l.e arC,i nematograthpehnai ttq huUeen si,v er-