Abstract
The relationship between Siegfred Kracauer's film theory and architecture is an under-researched area, and is also key to the quintessence of his film theory. The architectural background not only influenced Kracauer's early film theory, which focused on “pan-text” rather than “inner-text”, but has also gave rise to the “modern” research approach that focused on the superficial things of the city. This preference also determined the “anti-naturalist” aesthetic tendency and the reverence for “spirituality” throughout his life. By discussing two typical cinematic buildings such as the “luxury picture palace” and the “film studio”, Kracauer established the important position of “ornament” in his film aesthetics and constructed a kind of “liberating realism” with “anti-naturalism” at its core.
Keywords
Siegfred Kracauer, anti-naturalism, film theory, architecture, realism
First Page
153
Last Page
162
Recommended Citation
Jiang, Lanxin. 2024. "“Anti-naturalism”: The Architectural Dimension in Siegfred Kracauer's Early Film Theory." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 43, (5): pp.153-162. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol43/iss5/16
