JOURNAL ARTICLE

Film Theory.

  • Published In: Year's Work in Critical & Cultural Theory, 2025, v. 33, n. 1. P. 118 1 of 3

  • Database: Humanities Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Devereaux, Michelle L 3 of 3

Abstract

This article provides a critical overview of recent developments in film theory, focusing on five key publications that explore materiality, aesthetics, spectatorship, and ethics in cinema. Jiří Anger's *Towards a Film Theory from Below* advocates for a film theory grounded in the physical and archival materiality of film, emphasizing the concept of the "crack-up" to rethink film's aesthetic and theoretical potential. Timothy Corrigan's *Describing Cinema* promotes a cinephiliac turn through detailed written description and close reading as a means of engaging with films affectively and interpretively. Rick Warner's *The Rebirth of Suspense* redefines suspense in slow cinema by highlighting atmospheric and embodied experiences that differ from traditional Hitchcockian suspense. Marina Hassapopoulou's *Interactive Cinema* examines the ethical complexities of participatory media, questioning the boundaries of cinema and spectatorship in interactive and AI-driven works. Finally, Becky Peterson's *Textiles on Film* explores the material turn through the lens of fabric on screen, linking textile studies and film theory to analyze affect, embodiment, and cultural meanings conveyed by fabric in cinema.

Additional Information

  • Source:Year's Work in Critical & Cultural Theory. 2025/01, Vol. 33, Issue 1, p118
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:10774254
  • DOI:10.1093/ywcct/mbaf004
  • Accession Number:192033627
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