READING RESPONSE: Roland Barthes
Roland Barthes describes the cinematic experience in his book The Rustle of Language. Powerful imagery is used as he equates the cinematic experience to hypnosis. I agree with Barthes that there is something magical about movie theaters. Movie Theaters have been designed to maximize the cinematic experience for the audience. Some tangible elements are loud speakers, the absence of light, silence, and the large screens all add to the experience. I was quite taken by this essay. Barthes ponders the reason why the cinema provides a sense of privacy and anonymity. While consuming the medium of theatre and films, the