Description of the work:

Essays on meaning in cinema by Christian Metz (1931-1993) constitute a fundamental work in the history of reflection on cinematography.

The first part of the book (published in one volume in 1968) marks a first step in Christian Metz's effort to found a semiological approach to fact-cinema: he then signs the first encounter between modes of thought inspired by modern linguistics and the aesthetic tradition of reflections on the notion of "cinematic language".

The second part (published in a second volume in 1972) completes these analyses, while also recalling the beginnings. A first section, made up of analyzes prior to 1968, therefore upstream of the author's undertaking, shows how this new approach, still today too (and too badly) known under the name of "semiology", s articulates closely and in a particularly original way on the previous achievements of cinematographic reflection.

In a second section, we see taking shape, through a game of advances and self-critical returns, continuations and changes of course, the outlines of this "second semiology" to which Christian Metz has attached himself by the suite (surpassing, not denying), and which would later be part of Le Signifiant imaginaire (1977). Linguist, Hellenist, Germanist, translator, teacher, jazz specialist, Christian Metz (1931-1993) is best known for having been a film theorist.

Authors biography :

Christian Metz is a linguist, Hellenist, Germanist, translator, professor, jazz specialist and film theorist.