Summary:
From the perspective of the French philosopher Deleuze, this paper explores the semiotic view of film language. Through an in-depth interpretation of Deleuze's books Cinema 1: Moving Image and Cinema 2: Temporal Image, this paper analyzes Deleuze's practical significance of film symbols, perceptual images, symbol interpretation, and film language. This article systematically introduces Deleuze's view of film language and discusses its important influence on film creation, viewing experience, and social politics.
I. Introduction
As a visual medium, film carries the rich emotional, ideological and cultural connotations of human beings, and the application and evolution of its language in film art has always attracted much attention. In the traditional structuralist view of language, film is seen as a system of symbols, and its language is interpreted as a combination and structure of symbols. However, Deleuze's view of film language subverts this traditional concept, advocates valuing the materiality and perception of film, and replaces film language in the context of semiotics.
With the continuous development of film technology and the diversification of social culture, people's understanding and interpretation of film language are also constantly changing. Deleuze's view of the language of cinema offers a fresh perspective that allows us to understand film more deeply as a unique art form and its role in cultural transmission and aesthetic experience.
II. The Theoretical Basis of the Semiotic View
A. The structuralist view of language and Deleuze's critique
In the traditional structuralist view of language, film is seen as a system of symbols, and its language is interpreted as a combination and structure of symbols. Structuralists believe that meaning in cinema is constructed through the opposition and combination of symbols, and that the language of cinema is the language of symbols. However, Deleuze is critical of this view, arguing that structuralism fails to adequately comprehend the complexity and uniqueness of cinematic language.
Deleuze pointed out that the structuralist view of language overemphasizes the abstraction and universality of symbols, and ignores the particularity of film as an art form with material and perceptual nature. He believes that the language of cinema is not only a combination of symbols, but more importantly, it is able to generate meaning through the direct experience of the senses and emotions. Therefore, Deleuze criticizes the structuralist static analysis of film language and the simplification of symbolic logic, and advocates a re-examination of the practical and dynamic nature of film language.
B. Deleuze's reinterpretation of the language of cinema
Deleuze's view of film language emphasizes film as a medium of perceptual experience, emphasizing the role and significance of image and sound in film. He re-understands the language of cinema as a non-verbal, perceptual way of expression, emphasizing the materiality and sensuality of cinema. In Deleuze's view, film language is not only a combination of symbols, but also an artistic expression that directly touches the audience's emotions and imagination.
Through the reinterpretation of the language of film, Deleuze proposes a new theoretical framework for film. He sees film as an autonomous and creative art form, emphasizing the subjectivity and activity of filmmakers in expression and audience communication. From Deleuze's perspective, cinema is no longer seen as a transmitter of passively receptive symbols, but is endowed with richer and more diverse meanings and expressions.
C. Material materiality and symbolic classification of film language
Deleuze divides the language of cinema into two types: the first purely semiotic movement-image and the second pure semiotic time-image. The first pure semiotic movement-image emphasizes the materiality and perception of the image, and regards film as an art form that expresses emotions and thoughts through images and visual effects. The second pure semiotic time-image emphasizes the role and significance of sound and time in film, and regards film as an art form that constructs narrative and emotional atmosphere through sound and time.
III. The First Purely Semiotic Movement of the Cinematic Image: the Image
A. Perception – Imagery
The symbolic nature of perception
In Deleuze's semiotic view, the image is seen as a perceptual sign, rich in symbolic properties. Perception, as a symbol, is not just a simple visual message, but a meaning and perceptual experience conveyed through the combination and arrangement of visual elements. As a perceptual symbol, the image has the following characteristics:
Ambiguity and openness: Images can be given multiple meanings and are often open-ended, allowing the viewer to interpret and understand them based on their own experience and imagination.
Symbolic and metaphorical: Images are often symbolic and metaphorical, conveying emotions, thoughts, or meanings through the symbolic expression of images, and the audience needs to understand their deep meanings through the interpretation of symbols.
Emotion and emotional resonance: Images can directly touch the emotions of the audience and trigger emotional resonance, so that the audience can resonate and empathize, and then participate in the emotional expression and experience of the film.
Perceptual characteristics of the image
As a symbol of perception, the image has unique perceptual characteristics, which play an important role in the film and affect the audience's emotional experience and meaning construction:
Color and light and shadow: Color and light and shadow are the most basic perceptual elements in images, they are not only the expression of visual information, but also the transmitter of emotions and meaning. Different colors and light and shadow can produce different emotional effects, affecting the audience's emotional experience and understanding of meaning.
Composition and lens language: Composition and lens language are the way images are organized, and they construct emotional atmosphere and visual effects through the choice of shots and the layout of the composition, influencing the audience's perception and emotional expression.
Rhythm and Tempo: Rhythm and tempo are the temporal dimensions of images, which construct the plot and narrative rhythm through the rhythm of the picture and the beat of the editing, affecting the audience's emotional experience and meaning-making.
B. Emotion – Image
The symbolic meaning of emotional expression
Emotion has a symbolic meaning in the image, which is conveyed through the visual representation and emotional elements of the image, and has the following characteristics:
Symbolization of emotion: Emotions are often symbolized and symbolized in images, and emotional information is conveyed through the symbolic expression of visual elements, and the audience needs to understand the meaning and expression of emotions through the interpretation of symbols.
Diversity of emotions: The emotional expressions in the images are diverse, and different image elements can express different emotions, and the audience can feel and understand the meaning conveyed by the images through these emotional expressions.
Emotional resonance and emotional experience: The emotional expression of the image can arouse the emotional resonance and emotional experience of the audience, so that the audience can participate in the emotional expression and experience of the film, and produce the emotional experience of resonance and empathy.
The way in which emotions are symbolized in images
The emotions in the images are often expressed and conveyed through symbols, which have the following characteristics:
Emotional expression of color and light and shadow: Color and light and shadow are often used to express emotions in images, and different colors and light and shadow can produce different emotional effects, affecting the audience's emotional experience and understanding of meaning.
Emotional expression of composition and lens language: Composition and lens language play an important role in emotional expression in images, and the emotional atmosphere and visual effects are constructed through the selection of lenses and the layout of composition, which affects the audience's emotional experience and meaning construction.
Emotional expression of rhythm and beat: Rhythm and rhythm construct the plot and narrative rhythm through the rhythm of the picture and the beat of the editing in the image, which affects the audience's emotional experience and meaning construction, and produces emotional resonance and emotional experience.
C. Motion-Image
Interpretation of action as symbol
In the movie, action is not only a simple performance of behavior, but also an interpretation of symbols, with the following characteristics:
Symbolism and metaphor of action: Actions are often symbolic and metaphorical, conveying emotions, thoughts, or meanings through the symbolic expression of actions, and the audience needs to understand their deep meaning through the interpretation of symbols.
Emotional expression of action: Action is often used to express emotion in movies, and different actions can express different emotions, affecting the audience's emotional experience and understanding of meaning.
Action symbols in the imagery
In the image, action is seen as an important symbol, which conveys emotion, meaning and theme through different action expressions, with the following characteristics:
Body language and movement expression: The body language and movement expression of the characters play a vital role in the image, they can directly convey the inner emotions and intentions of the characters, and guide the audience to understand and interpret the characters.
Rhythm and rhythm of action: The rhythm and rhythm of action are often used in images to construct plot and narrative rhythms, and the rhythm and rhythm of editing are controlled through the rhythm and rhythm of action, which affects the audience's emotional experience and meaning construction.
Symbolic and metaphorical nature of action: Actions are often symbolic and metaphorical, suggesting and expressing emotions, thoughts, or themes through the actions of the characters, and the audience needs to understand their deep meaning through the interpretation of the symbols.
The relationship between action and emotion
Action and emotion are closely related to the image, and they influence each other to jointly construct the emotional atmosphere and meaning expression of the image:
Actions express emotions: The actions of the characters can directly express their inner emotional states, and convey the emotional content of the characters such as joy, anger, sorrow, love and hatred through the performance of actions, so that the audience can have a deeper understanding of the emotional world of the characters.
Emotion-driven action: At the same time, emotion can also drive the action of the character, and the character makes different action reactions under the influence of emotion, which in turn further deepens the expression and understanding of emotion.
Action triggers emotional resonance: Actions in the image can trigger emotional resonance from the audience, and the audience can resonate and empathize with the emotions of the characters through their perception and understanding of the characters' actions.
IV. The Second Pure Semiotic Movement of the Cinematic Image: Time-Image
A. Chronology and chronological order
Time symbols at the past level
In the film, the time symbols of the past are presented in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:
Memories and flashbacks: Through the memories of characters or flashbacks of images, movies can present past events to the audience, so as to show the inner struggles, growth or transformation of characters.
Reproduction of historical scenes: Some historical-themed films present the social background and events of the past era by reproducing historical scenes, such as wars and revolutions, to help the audience understand the background and situation of the times in the film.
Relics and relics: Through objects, relics, etc., the film can allude to past stories or events, and the audience can speculate and imagine past scenes that are not directly represented in the film through these symbols.
Now the time symbol of the cusp
Now the cusp is an important point in time in the film, and it is often symbolized in the following ways:
Climactic Scenes: Climactic scenes in movies are often seen as the point of the present, focusing the viewer's attention on the events at hand through suspense, tense plot unfolding, and high-intensity visuals.
Key Decisions: The decisions and actions made by the characters at key moments are often seen as the point of the present, and these decisions and actions will affect the development and ending of the story, which is a turning point in the development of the storyline.
Emotional Climax: The climactic expression of the character's emotions can also be seen as the present point, expressing the key moments and emotional conflicts in the story through the emotional outbursts and emotional experiences of the characters.
B. Time Symbols and Time Series
The symbolic features that make up a time series
Time sequences in movies are often made up of a series of symbolic features, including but not limited to:
Time stamps: Time sequences in movies are often distinguished and defined by time stamps, such as dates, years, seasons, etc., to help the audience sort out the order in which the storyline develops.
Plot Progression: The composition of the time series is also closely related to the progress of the plot, and the plot evolves and changes over time, and the audience understands the development of the story through the advancement of the time series.
Character development: The development and change of characters in the time series is also an important symbolic feature that constitutes the time series, and the audience understands the timeline and plot direction of the story through the growth and transformation of the characters.
The way time series is symbolized in a movie
Time sequences in film are often symbolized and presented in the following ways:
Non-linear narrative: Some films use non-linear narrative to construct time sequences, interweaving different time periods of the story through flashbacks, cross-editing, etc., to increase the complexity and enjoyment of the story.
Time editing: Through editing technology, movies can compress and concentrate key moments and important events in a time series, strengthening the coherence and compactness of the storyline.
Time jump: Some movies will use time jumps to advance the storyline, skipping some time periods or events, and directly presenting key moments and important scenes to increase the suspense and tension of the story.
V. The Practical Significance of Deleuze's View of Language in Cinema
A. The diversity and innovation of film language
Deleuze's view of film language emphasizes the importance of film as a unique art form, diversity and innovation. This concept has important practical implications for film creators and the film industry.
First of all, diversity and innovation mean the richness and diversity of the language of film. Film is not only a visual form, but also includes a variety of elements such as sound, music, editing, and the use of shots. Creators can make full use of the combination and use of these elements to create a rich and colorful image world. For example, the use of sound can enhance the audience's emotional experience, the technique of editing can create a tense atmosphere, and the language of the lens can express emotions and thoughts. Therefore, film creators should pay attention to making full use of these elements, and continue to explore and innovate to enrich and expand the expression of film language.
Secondly, diversity and innovation also mean challenging and transcending the traditional film language. Deleuze believes that the development of cinematic language requires the introduction of new elements and techniques beyond traditional expressions. This is a challenge for filmmakers, but it's also an opportunity. By challenging convention, creators can break the shackles, unleash their creativity, and create works that are more contemporary and ornamental. For example, some emerging film directors have broken through the limitations of traditional films and created refreshing video experiences by using innovative methods such as non-linear storytelling and cross-media interaction.
B. Audience participation and the liveliness of symbol interpretation
Deleuze's view of film language also emphasizes the importance of audience participation and interpretation in the process of film viewing. This concept has far-reaching practical implications for filmmaking and viewing.
First of all, audience participation means that film is no longer a one-way medium for delivering information, but an interactive experience. Filmmakers can engage the audience in the plot and themes of the film by directing their imagination and thinking. Audiences are no longer passive recipients of the film's content, but actively participate in the viewing process, enhancing their viewing experience and sense of participation.
Secondly, the audience's active interpretation means that the language of the film is open and ambiguous. Deleuze argues that the meaning of cinema is not fixed and unchanging, but is constantly changing as the audience interprets it. Therefore, filmmakers should focus on creating works with multiple interpretation possibilities to stimulate the audience's desire to think and explore. Through the interpretation of the symbols and images of the film, the audience can obtain an understanding and experience that is different from the author's original intention, thus enriching the connotation and meaning of the film.
C. The social and political significance of the language of cinema
Deleuze's view of film language also has important social and political significance, and has a profound impact on the development of social culture and political change.
First of all, film, as a form of mass culture, carries the values and trends of social culture. Deleuze believes that film is not only a work of art, but also a reflection and expression of social culture. Therefore, film creators should pay attention to social hotspots and current affairs issues, convey positive energy through film works, guide social public opinion, and promote social progress and development.
Secondly, film is also an important vehicle for political discourse. Deleuze emphasized the importance of film as a political discourse, pointing out that film has the power to shape ideas and guide ideas. As a result, political elites and power institutions also use cinema as a medium to disseminate their own political ideologies and ideas of domination. Film creators should maintain independent thinking and critical spirit, not be swayed by political forces, and create works that truly reflect people's lives and social reality.
VI. Conclusion
From Deleuze's perspective, this paper discusses the semiotic view of film language, focusing on Deleuze's practical significance of film symbols, perceptual images, symbol interpretation, and film language. In the process, we gained a deep understanding of Deleuze's unique insight into the language of film, and realized that film is not only a form of entertainment, but also an art form with deep meaning and multiple possibilities for interpretation.
Through the analysis of Deleuze's theoretical discussion and practical significance, we have drawn the following research conclusions:
First of all, this paper systematically introduces Deleuze's view of film language, and deeply analyzes his unique insights into film symbols, perceptual images, and symbol interpretation. Through the in-depth discussion of Deleuze's theory, we have a clearer understanding of the nature and characteristics of film language, which provides a theoretical basis for subsequent research.
Secondly, this paper analyzes the practical significance of Deleuze's view of film language, and discusses its important impact on film creation and audience experience. We recognize that Deleuze's theory is not only an abstract idea, but also a theoretical framework with practical guiding significance. Film creators can continue to explore and innovate by applying Deleuze's theory to improve the artistic level and appreciation value of film works.
Finally, the paper also explores the social and political significance of Deleuze's conception of film language. We recognize that film, as a form of mass culture, plays an important role in shaping social concepts and guiding ideas. Therefore, film creators should maintain independent thinking and critical spirit, not be swayed by political forces, and create works that truly reflect people's lives and social reality.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
Flaxman, Gregory. The Brain is the Screen: Deleuze and the Philosophy of Cinema. University of Minnesota Press, 2000.
Wartenberg, Thomas E. Thinking on Screen: Film as Philosophy. Routledge, 2007.
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