[READING RESPONSE] Roland Barthes: Leaving the Movie Theater

Roland proposed the idea that movie theaters can be seen as ‘hypnotic’, which is caused by the ‘cinema situation’. It refers to the darkness intended to separate reality and emerging/ enclosing audiences as if they are in a cocoon. With the film image as the only light source in the theater, audiences are ‘glued’ to the film. However, we can be unglued from this situation through two ways— image and surroundings.  

I appreciate the idea of Roland analyzing theater as two separate elements: the film image that acts as a surface layer and surroundings that are crucial to understand a film. In this sense, surroundings are transformed into relationships with audiences. 

In my opinion, the experience in theater is irreplaceable. Despite the emergence of advanced technology like VR and Netflix that allows easier access for films,  we tend to be distracted by surroundings easily. I can watch a film at home, but I only experience a film at the movie theater. The recent movie I watched at the theater was ‘Time Still Turn The Pages‘. A little fun fact about myself: I like to sit in the middle because I can fully immerse myself in the movie. Everything is well-designed, the sound effect intensifies behind me to deliver the loneliness of the protagonist living in a hustle city. While the sound gives me chills, colours reflected on the walls as if the theater is a gigantic screen, slowly fading at the edge. At some point, this public space is transformed to a private space. During the screening of this movie, I cried as much as I wanted. But at the same time, I can feel all audiences have empathy with the protagonist by noticing they wipe away tears quietly.  Even when a film ends, when they slowly turn on the lights, stepping out of the theater feels unreal. It is like withdrawing yourself from the character himself and a collective imaginary space.  Nothing compares to movie theater when it withdraws you from reality. 

Tsang Shuk Yin 3036231265