Death at the Beginning of the Cinema
Monika Milewska
kwartalnik.filmowy@ispan.plInstitute of Philosophy and Sociology, Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland)
Abstract
One of the first advantages of a cinematograph perceived by the then press was the possibility of creating illusions of life. This cinema made it possible to give people the hope for a substitute for immortality. It both recorded on tape the faces and movements of living people, and allowed people to think of “resurrecting” of the deceased. This should be at least the origin of first historical movies. It is surprising, however, that first costume films on the two sides of the Atlantic portrayed not the life but death of famous persons: Mary Stuart, Robespierre or Marat. This paradox may be illusory as death has to be defined here not as negation of life - non-cinematic stillness - but as the most intimate part of life, i. e. dying. The films sought both to evoke excitement with one’s intimacy and a symbolic victory over death. The death that can be endlessly replayed for the price of a movie ticket ceases to be absolute.
Keywords:
death, costume films, immortalityReferences
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Authors
Monika Milewskakwartalnik.filmowy@ispan.pl
Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Polish Academy of Sciences Poland
Historyk, poetka, dramaturg, tłumacz. Adiunkt w Instytucie Filozofii i Socjologii PAN. Autorka książki Ocet i łzy. Terror Wielkiej Rewolucji Francuskiej jako doświadczenie traumatyczne.
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Copyright (c) 2004 Monika Milewska
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