Thursday, October 9, 2008

La Jetée... some scattered thoughts

Though, Chris Marker's La Jetée (1962) would at first appear to be comprised of still images the amount of movement present within it is quite surprising. Instead of being limited, the "apparent" lack of movement brings the concept into the foreground and opens up the actual range of movement present. Each frame moves slightly even if the image is still, each image vibrates on screen. Each transition from one "shot" to the next is a movement in time and space. The constant play of intervals between each transition creates and redefines time through its movement. I would argue that in removing the most obvious dimension of cinematic movement has in fact opened up the concept to a greater degree. Not that these concepts are absent in more traditional films, but perhaps they are glossed over in favor of the obvious.

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Deleuze states, "no longer coexistence of sheets of past, but the simultaneity of peaks of present." (101) Could we reach and claim, after reading Deleuze, that the protagonist's moments relived in the past could be seen as "peaks of the present" in reference to the time-image?  

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Even Traditional 24 frames per second projected cinema is comprised of still images. Our perception transitions them so quickly that we "perceive" movement. It is a physical perception, perhaps made possible by the limitations of our eyes and mind working together. But, when the fps is reduced, to 1 or 2 frames per second - sometimes even 1 frame per 2 or 3 seconds - in La Jetée, it would seem the mind has to create instead of perceive, or perhaps be more active in the participation that is required to transverse that space-time of the film. Perhaps, creation and perception are the same thing, or elements of the same function? 

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I am not sure how this all works, but the questions opened up by this film on what constitutes cinematic movement make it almost seem like this film was created as an example to be included in the Deleuze's Cinema 1 and 2. I should have watched it before starting this weeks readings!






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