This thesis brings into relation Thomas Elsaesser's category of the "mind-game film" and Gilles Deleuze's observations of a new depiction and awareness of time in film. The mind-game film
is then read as symptomatic of a social change from a society of "discipline" towards a "society of control" (Michel Foucault).
In the course of this analysis, the catalyst role of technical progress and pervasive interconnectedness becomes evident.
Traditional tenets of cinema and storytelling are overcome and played with. Time, which used to flow naturally, and therefore unnoticed, has evolved into a crucial, freely modulatable dimension of its own and serves as an additional structural and narrational level on top of the spatial dimensions. This development is propelled by the rise of the digital image and its manifold possibilities of interfering with the flow of time. Likewise, the principle of "focalization" is extended beyond the idea of merely directing our attention, towards the total filtration of the film reality through the (subjective) vision of a (or several) character(s) (Buckland 8). Thriving on these central elements, mind-game films aim to deceive the spectator by determining when, or if, he/she receives certain information which is crucial to the understanding of the story. Just as no focal character can possibly be sure of his/her own perception's reliability or, for that matter, his/her own mental sanity, we cannot trust our perception. What we see is the image of an image, filtered through a succession of
two minds, the character's virtual one and our own [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Sociological Implications and the Mode of Storytelling
2.1. Intensified Focalization
2.2. The Mind-Game Film as a Mirror to the Society (of Control)
2.3. Mind-Game Film in the Light of Traditional Narratology
3. Multiple Levels of Storytelling, Viewing Experience and Identity
4. A New Understanding of Time
4.1. Time as a Medium in which we Exist
4.2. The Central Role of Time in Mind-Game Film (Diegesis and Editing)
4.3. The Central Role of Time in Mind-Game Film (Reception and Media)
5. The Media in the Society of Control
6. Conclusion
7. Works Cited
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic essay explores the intersection of contemporary "mind-game" cinema and the sociological transition towards a "society of control." The primary research aim is to analyze how the complex, non-linear narratives and distorted temporal structures of these films reflect shifting human perceptions and the influence of digital technologies on identity, consumption, and social order.
- Sociological parallels between "mind-game" cinema and the society of control.
- The role of "intensified focalization" and multi-level storytelling in audience deception.
- Transformation of time from a natural narrative flow to a modulated dimension.
- Impact of digital media, rewatchability, and participatory Internet culture on the film experience.
- Synthesis of narrative theory and philosophical concepts of the "rhizome" and "dividuals."
Excerpt from the Book
2.2. The Mind-Game Film as a Mirror to the Society (of Control)
Later in the article, Elsaesser elaborates on this notion of conventionality in film. He states that the classical narrative style can be broken down into a number of rather specific conventions. When it comes to the set-in-stone guiding principles, like teleology and the premise of a comprehensive causal chain of events, "(post hoc ergo propter hoc)", Elsaesser reasonably claims that these actually serve as restrictions that keep the film from becoming a mirror to our reality – which may be determined by coincidence at times, and which is in no way a linear chain of causal events, but a multitude of paths, many of which never come to anything (Elsaesser 23). Hence, the classical means of channeling reality into film is by no means the correct or natural way to go, but merely a variant amongst others. It is in this context that Elsaesser draws on Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari's notion of the "rhizome" as a non-hierarchical, non-dichotomous sorting principle of knowledge and reality.
For Deleuze, film can serve as a mirror to human perception, because it is organized according to the very same logic and the very same rules of framing, setting focus and arousing attention. By implication, sociological change inscribes itself into the medium, as the individuals' self-concepts and their perceptions of the surrounding society and its superstructures change, along with those structures themselves.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the central thesis that mind-game films utilize non-linear time and intensified focalization to mirror the complexities of a society of control.
2. Sociological Implications and the Mode of Storytelling: Examines how these films challenge traditional narrative conventions and act as sociocultural reflections of the contemporary era.
3. Multiple Levels of Storytelling, Viewing Experience and Identity: Analyzes the meta-level complexity where the act of narration becomes more significant than the plot itself, and discusses the collective identity formed by fans.
4. A New Understanding of Time: Explores the shift from "extensive" to "intensive" time and how modern cinema manipulates chronology to enhance audience immersion.
5. The Media in the Society of Control: Connects the economic demand for highly rewatchable content with the network-based structures of modern digital media corporations.
6. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming the mind-game film as a culturally specific phenomenon situated at the intersection of technological evolution, artistic innovation, and economic necessity.
7. Works Cited: Lists the academic literature and media sources utilized throughout the analysis.
Keywords
Mind-game film, Society of control, Intensified focalization, Narratology, Gilles Deleuze, Thomas Elsaesser, Digital cinema, Rhizome, Time-image, Multi-level storytelling, Participation, Network-society, Meta-level, Subjectivity, Media consumption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper investigates the relationship between the "mind-game film" genre and the transition to a society of control, arguing that the films' narrative complexities mirror modern social realities.
What are the primary thematic areas?
The study focuses on narratology, the sociological implications of media consumption, the philosophy of time, and the impact of digital technology on viewer perception.
What is the central research question?
The research asks how the unique storytelling techniques and temporal manipulations in contemporary mind-game films reflect and respond to the sociological changes in the twenty-first century.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The paper utilizes a qualitative analysis, integrating narrative theory, film studies, and philosophical frameworks derived from Gilles Deleuze, Thomas Elsaesser, and Mark B. N. Hansen.
What is covered in the main section?
The main sections analyze focalization, the shift in the understanding of time, the influence of digital media platforms on rewatchability, and the merging of individual and collective viewing experiences.
What characterize this study?
The study is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach, linking cinema studies with sociocultural theory and economics.
How does the concept of "time" change in these films?
Time is no longer a linear, natural flow but a "modulatable dimension" that serves as the structural foundation for modern storytelling, often utilized to deceive the spectator.
What is the "society of control" in this context?
It refers to a post-disciplinary social structure where institutions have lost clear boundaries, and individuals are managed via rhizomatic networks, a state reflected in the non-linear, multi-level nature of contemporary films.
What is the role of the viewer in mind-game films?
The viewer is no longer just a passive observer but is forced into a participatory role, often engaging in "meaning negotiation" through collective online forums and repeated viewings.
- Quote paper
- Malte Mindermann (Author), 2014, The Mind-Game Film. Cinema in the Digitalized Societies of Control, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/285535
