Images Coming to Life: Peter Watkins' "Edvard Munch" (1974) and Jean-Luc Godard's "Passion"  Cover Image

Ożywianie obrazów: "Edvard Munch" (1974) Petera Watkinsa i "Pasja" (1982) Jean-Luca Godarda
Images Coming to Life: Peter Watkins' "Edvard Munch" (1974) and Jean-Luc Godard's "Passion"

Author(s): Ewa Mazierska
Subject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts
Published by: Instytut Sztuki Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: Watkins Peter; Godard Jean-Luc

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this article is to show how Watkins and Godard reconstruct the creation of paintings from ages past. Mazierska notices that these directors, literally and metaphorically put the painting in motion, using techniques available to the film maker. At the same time as they analyse the paintings, they perform an auto analysis of sorts. Especially for Watkins, the analysis of life and work of Edvard Munch is a medium through which he reaches his own identity and subjectivity, a way of looking at one self as the “other”. Godard’s aim is to show the viewer that film consists of images that do not have to form a coherent narrative. The vanguard character of these films is explained by the period of their creation: from mid 70s till early 80s. These two films are a swan song of cinematic modernism, with its roots in the high arts, and conviction that cinema is the rightful heir of fine art.

  • Issue Year: 2009
  • Issue No: 65
  • Page Range: 117-128
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Polish