
The Mind Screen
Identification Desire and Its Cinematic Arena
Georg Schmid(Author)
Peter Lang Verlag
Published on 16. December 2015
Book
Hardback
329 pages
978-3-631-66848-1 (ISBN)
Description
For well over a century cinema has exerted enormous influence, yet many questions regarding its fascination remain unanswered. Films work so well because the viewers tend to unconsciously identify with the actors/actresses. The desire to become another, substituting identity by identification, can be traced to the illusion that the filmic heroes/heroines are immortal - identifying with them raises the possibility of gaining «deathlessness.» Viewers can, without real life risks, experiment with the existential drafts presented; the power of imagination is mobilized. Based on a multidisciplinary approach (semiotics, psychoanalysis, cultural anthropology, plus a healthy dose of film history), this book presents prolegomena of a philosophy of cinema.
More details
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Berlin
Germany
Edition type
New edition
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
540 gr
ISBN-13
978-3-631-66848-1 (9783631668481)
DOI
10.3726/978-3-653-06341-7
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Georg Schmid has taught modern and contemporary history, mainly at the University of Salzburg.
Content
Contents: Fascination of cinema - Identification with actors/actresses - Participating in their immortality - Experimenting with the existential patterns offered - Film analysis - Film history - Semiotics - Psychoanalysis - Cultural anthropology.