Cinema as Body (3.23.2021)

The articles this week cover the notion of Cinema on the body, subject, or vision in the flesh. Sobchack explains how cinema affects the human body in a way where vision affects the flesh of the spectator experience. Sobchak explains that this “still unclear sense” of something that provokes authentic responses in an “as if real” reveals the confusion and discomfort spectators have when being confronted by a sensual experience through the experience of watching. It is difficult to explain the somatism experienced by the viewer. It reminds me of watching the film by Dali in our first class Un Chien An D’leau where the scene created an authentic reaction from the viewer. This is the same effect to that of the physiological reflux beyond that of the metaphorical. This focus on body’s ability to create more sensuous experiences through the ontological experience of viewing film is often not addressed. However, through the metaphors within cinematic depictions, the reactions of the body are reflective on the physical body. Thus the notion of cinema in the flesh.