> From: louie rayner <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 10:18 AM > Subject: Benjamin and the auratic > > 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. > _________________________________________________________________________ I'm afraid I don't really understand the question. While Wenders has said that his work is Benjaminian, and I think WINGS OF DESIRE is Benjaminian in some ways, there are other aspects of Benjamin's writings that are more relevant than the concept of "aura." In particular, Benjamin's "Theses on the Philosophy of History," which not incidentally turn on an image of angels, strike me as more relevant. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Peter X Feng, Assistant Professor of English and Women's Studies English Department 212 Memorial Hall <[log in to unmask]> University of Delaware tel 302/831-4066 Newark DE 19716 fax 302/831-1586 ---------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite http://www.tcf.ua.edu/ScreenSite