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CHRISTIAN METZ and the CODES of CINEMA Analysis and Later with Enunciation Theory

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CHRISTIAN METZ and the CODES of CINEMA Analysis and Later with Enunciation Theory EDITED BY MARGRIT TRÖHLER FILM THEORY FILM THEORY CHRISTIAN METZ IN MEDIA HISTORY IN MEDIA HISTORY AND GUIDO KIRSTEN AND THE CODES OF CINEMA FILM SEMIOLOGY AND BEYOND EDITED BY MARGRIT TRÖHLER AND GUIDO KIRSTEN A pioneering figure in film studies, Christian MARGRIT TRÖHLER is a professor in Metz proposed countless new concepts for the Department of Film Studies at the reflecting on cinema from the 1960s to the University of Zurich. 1980s. Rooted in a phenomenological struc­ GUIDO KIRSTEN is a postdoctoral re­ turalism, he worked out a film semiology searcher in the Department of Media which he then confronted with psycho­ Studies at Stockholm University. CINEMA OF CODES THE AND METZ CHRISTIAN analysis and later with enunciation theory. He also played a key role in establishing film studies as a scholarly discipline, making major contributions to its institutionaliza­ tion in universities worldwide. This book brings together a stellar roster of contribu­ tors to present a close analysis of Metz’s writings, their theoretical and epistemologi­ cal positions, and their ongoing influence today. ISBN 978-90-896-4892-1 AUP.nl 9 789089 648921 AUP_FtMh_KIRSTENe.a._(CMETZ)_rug28mm_v05.indd 1 18-01-18 12:16 Christian Metz and the Codes of Cinema Film Theory in Media History Film Theory in Media History explores the epistemological and theoretical foundations of the study of film through texts by classical authors as well as anthologies and monographs on key issues and developments in film theory. Adopting a historical perspective, but with a firm eye to the further development of the field, the series provides a platform for ground-breaking new research into film theory and media history and features high-profile editorial projects that offer resources for teaching and scholarship. Combining the book form with open access online publishing the series reaches the broadest possible audience of scholars, students, and other readers with a passion for film and theory. Series editors Prof. Dr. Vinzenz Hediger (Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany), Weihong Bao (University of California, Berkeley, United States), Dr. Trond Lundemo (Stockholm University, Sweden). Editorial Board Members Dudley Andrew, Yale University, United States Raymond Bellour, CNRS Paris, France Chris Berry, Goldsmiths, University of London, United Kingdom Francesco Casetti, Yale University, United States Thomas Elsaesser, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands Jane Gaines, Columbia University, United States Andre Gaudreault, University of Montreal, Canada Gertrud Koch, Free University of Berlin, Germany John MacKay, Yale University, United States Markus Nornes, University of Michigan, United States Patricia Pisters, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands Leonardo Quaresima, University of Udine, Italy David Rodowick, University of Chicago, United States Philip Rosen, Brown University, United States Petr Szczepanik, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic Brian Winston, Lincoln University, United Kingdom Film Theory in Media History is published in cooperation with the Permanent Seminar for the History of Film Theories. Christian Metz and the Codes of Cinema Film Semiology and Beyond Edited by Margrit Tröhler and Guido Kirsten Amsterdam University Press Cover design: Krispin Hée / Suzan Beijer Layout: Crius Group, Hulshout Amsterdam University Press English-language titles are distributed in the US and Canada by the University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978 90 8964 892 1 e-ISBN 978 90 4852 756 4 DOI 10.5117/9789089648921 NUR 670 Creative Commons License CC BY NC ND (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0) All authors / Amsterdam University Press B.V., Amsterdam, 2018 Some rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, any part of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise). Table of Contents Acknowledgments 9 Editorial Note 11 1. Christian Metz and Film Semiology 15 Dynamics within and on the Edges of the ‘Model’: An Introduction Margrit Tröhler I Metz and the Tradition of Film Theory 2. Two Ways of Thinking 69 Raymond Bellour 3. Christian Metz and his Theoretical Legacy 83 Michel Marie 4. Christian Metz for Today 91 Roger Odin 5. Thinking Cinema 115 Christian Metz and/in the Tradition of Film Theory Frank Kessler 6. Barthes’ Early Film Semiology and the Legacy of Filmology in Metz 127 Guido Kirsten II Questions of Form and Aesthetics 7. Christian Metz and Aesthetics 147 Martin Lefebvre 8. Christian Metz and Modern Cinema 185 Francesco Casetti 9. Christian Metz, Editing, and Forms of Alternation 201 André Gaudreault and Philippe Gauthier III Specificities of the Cinematic Code and the Imaginary 10. Between Classical and Postclassical Theory 227 Metz on Specificity Then and Now Philip Rosen 11. Cyber-Metz? 251 The Notion of Code in the Writings of Christian Metz Selim Krichane 12. Yes, the Image Lies Beyond Analogy 273 Understanding Metz with Cartier-Bresson Marc Vernet 13. The Cinematic Signifier and the Imaginary 285 Mary Ann Doane 14. Fetishism and Scepticism , or the Two Worlds of Christian Metz and Stanley Cavell 301 D.N. Rodowick IV Narration, Enunciation, Cinephilia 15. Cinema: Image or Narrative? 327 Anne Goliot-Lété 16. Semiotics, Science, and Cinephilia 351 Christian Metz’s Last Book, L’énonciation impersonnelle Dana Polan 17. ‘“Theorize”, he says… ’ 369 Christian Metz and the Question of Enunciation: A Theory in (Speech) Acts Alain Boillat 18. Personal Enunciation: Presences of Absences 391 Dominique Bluher 19. Metz with Deleuze 415 From Film-Philosophy to Film Theory and Back Again Nico Baumbach Two Interviews with Christian Metz 20. Thirty Years After 435 Elena Dagrada 21. The Semiology of Cinema? It Is Necessary to Continue! 439 A Conversation with Christian Metz Elena Dagrada and Guglielmo Pescatore 22. Flashback to Winter 1990 455 Margrit Tröhler 23. ‘I Never Expected Semiology to Thrill the Masses’ 459 Interview with Christian Metz Dominique Blüher and Margrit Tröhler Postscript Conclusion (handwritten note by Christian Metz) 475 Index – Names 477 Index – Film Titles 483 Acknowledgments The editors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following people: Roger Odin, Martin Lefebvre, Rosemarie Meyer, Anne Lété-Goliot, Dominique Bluher, and David N. Rodowick who enthusiastically encouraged the idea of a conference as an homage to Christian Metz from the very beginning. Christian Metz’s son, Michaël Metz, and Michèle Lacoste, Metz’s life companion of many years, who also gave us all their support and partici- pated in the conference; and Michaël especially for his permission to print photos and facsimiles from Metz’s estate in this volume. Once again, Martin Lefebvre, who lent his support with all kinds of information, assistance, and advice, sharing his in-depth knowledge of the unpublished writings, notes, and correspondence from the Fonds Christian Metz at the Bibliothèque du film (BiFi) in Paris. Julia Zutavern and Eva Lipecki for their discreet and competent help in organizing the conference. Robert Riesinger, who was unfortunately unable to attend the conference, for his interest in our project and for the exchange of ideas prior to the event. Susie Trenka and Adrian Seward, translator and proofreader respec- tively, for their substantial contributions in preparing and completing this volume, as well as Henry M. Taylor for his competent translations during the conference. Lorenz Vollenweider for his willingness to conduct research in libraries and online. All employees of the Department of Film Studies at the University of Zurich for their many small and large services and courtesies as well as their commitment behind the scenes. Furthermore, we would like to thank the following institutions for their financial support of the conference and of the publication of this book: The Swiss Society for Cultural Theory and Semiotics (SSCS) The Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAHS) The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) The French Embassy in Switzerland Hochschulstiftung der Universität Zürich The Doctoral programme “Film, Photography, and Other Visual Media” (swissuniversities / University of Zurich, Graduate Campus / University of Lausanne) The Master’s programme of the Swiss Cinema Network 10 CHRISTIAN METZ AND THE CODES OF CINEMA Last but not least, our thanks go to Amsterdam University Press, especially Maryse Elliott and Jeroen Sondervan, and the series editors of ‘Film Theory in Media History’, Vinzenz Hediger, Weihong Bao, and Trond Lundemo. Editorial Note The editors of this volume would like to point out some terminological inconsistencies and editorial decisions. Several fundamental concepts in the field of film semiology possess a certain terminological ‘fuzziness’. This is partly due to the differing epistemological discourses in the French and English-speaking worlds. In part, it also goes back to various historical translations of Metz’s works or, beyond that, of linguistic and philosophical reference works. This has resulted in the authors in this volume sometimes using different terms for the same concept. To avoid confusion, we would like to briefly explain some of the central terms. The first instance of such a ‘floating’ terminology concerns the word pair semiology/semiotics. The distinction is based on two schools of thought established by the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce (1838-1914) and the Swiss linguist
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