In “Leaving the Movie Theater,” the author describes his departure from the cinema in a dazed and hypnotic state, seeking a sense of healing and likening the experience to entrancing orchestral music. He enters the movie theater with the desire to feel hypnotized even before the film begins, finding the entire cinematic experience to be the source of his lethargy. The author uses rich vocabulary to describe the entire experience; when the theater darkens, the anticipation before the film, and the immersion of the audience into the world of the film. The power of cinema is able to evoke a

Continue reading[Reading Response] Roland Barthes

We all have certain patterns when it comes to watching films. Some enjoy going to the cinema to watch the latest premieres, while others prefer staying at home, ordering food, and watching in comfort under a blanket. But why do we choose these places, and what makes our viewing experience more fulfilling? Roland Barthes discusses the hypnotic effect of cinema on viewers. He argues that the intimacy created by the darkness of the cinema enhances our perception of the film. We feel hidden and sensorily vulnerable in the dark, fully immersing ourselves in the movie on the screen – the

Continue reading[Reading Response] : Leaving the Movie Theater by Roland Barthes

Begin with a question taken from the article – Is there a meaning regarding the ‘darkness’ of the cinema, and what makes it being one of the critical elements in the ‘opaque cube’? The fast-food culture has entirely altered people’s consumption trend. The rise of streaming platforms is one of the major reasons contributing to the phenomenon, which provides accessibility to different movies for someone who has purchased the subscription plan. The purpose of going to the cinema therefore is no longer being significant. However, the experience could be entirely different when one leaves the movie theatre. Watching movie in

Continue reading[Reading response] Roland Barthes, The Rustle of Language

The article – “Leaving the Movie Theater” by Roland Barthes clearly articulates his view of the cinematic experience as hypnosis and makes a comparison with a television experience.  Movie theatres are special and unique in many ways. Most importantly, they are filled with “darkness”. The emptiness draws the crowd’s focus to the screen. In addition, with multidimensional audio, the audience would be fully immersed in the cinematic world through sense stimulation, mainly sight and hearing. Thus, the viewers would hear what the characters hear and see what they see.  On the contrary, televised programs or streamed content are usually viewed

Continue reading[READING RESPONSE] ROLAND BARTHES