In his seminal essay THE WORK OF ART IN THE AGE OF MECHANICAL REPRODUCTION,
Walter Benjamin establishes some theoretical parameters for a debate on
film. One of the central aspects of this text is the problematic concept of
aura in art and literature. According to Benjamin, auratic experience of art
provides a sense of distancing. Defined by him as the unique phenomenon of a
distance, however close it may be, aura involves a spatial idea of
three-dimensionality. Space features in auratic experience in a metaphysical
sense, a strange rendering of that which is familiar - what is so close is
far away. The controversial nature of aura and whether or not a film can
possess one begs the question: "Can aura feature in an investigation of film
and space?"

Wim Wenders has made it clear in his writings, and most strikingly in his
two Berlin films, WINGS OF DESIRE and FARAWAY, SO CLOSE, that he perceives
his work as standing in the Benjamin-inspired tradition. I am currently
working towards questioning the validity of this statement and I feel that a
comparative element would be useful.

How does the auratic in Wenders' films compare with that of other filmmakers
(specifically those of a German tradition)? I am also in need of other
writings, on the 'transformative' quality of cinema, that are useful to put
alongside Benjamin.
_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

----
To sign off Screen-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF Screen-L
in the message.  Problems?  Contact [log in to unmask]