Assignment#8

December 3, 2013

Walter Benjamin: “The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction”

The camera that presents the performance of the film actor to the public need not respect the performance as an integral whole. Guided by the cameraman, the camera continually changes its position with respect to the performance. The sequence of positional views which the editor composes from the material supplied constitutes the completed film. It comprises certain factors of movement which are in reality those of the camera, not to mention special camera angles, close-ups, etc (p. 228).murdaco.

    The camera will catch each and every movement of the actor involved, even while changing directions. The instant camera is more still pictures that are graphic and tells a story and picks up the smallest detail, while the movie camera is a continuous, expressive motion or movement. The camera will catch all of the expressions of the person being viewed whether realistic or unrealistic. Keep in mind people go to the movies to get away from reality, and take them away from the stresses of the real world no matter what era one is in. Movies are also money makers and are influential in many ways. There is also a certain detachment to movies, fulfilling in one way, but empty in another. And in mid part of the 1900’s the movies certainly had, I’m sure, great shock value. Even though the short movie “Eadweard Muybridge: Motion 2 implies a state of freedom (nakedness) as Dadaism also implies, is anyone really free? Another thing is one person may see this as art in motion, while another would think this an insult to the art form or industry. Many have paved the way for the art and entertainment industry. So even though there are forms that some may not agree on, it has helped to open up the industry for any and everyone involved, the audience is always evolving and there is need to please and shock.