[READING RESPONSE] : Roland Barthes

In Leaving the Movie Theater, Roland Barthes introduced me to a brand-new idea: the experience of watching movies in theatres creates a hypnotic environment. It deeply affects the enjoyment of the audience. The darkness that surrounds the theater and the screen serves as the only source of light intensify and immerse the audiences into the film. Also, some other settings including the sound play an important role in shaping the immersive experience. These factors are “Lure” that makes audiences having shorter distance with the film as well as escaping from reality.

While some people argue that we can now create a same experience found in the cinema at home. Yet, there are distractions and interruptions from daily life such as noises and familiar setting. These can pull audiences out of the movie. One significant factor is darkness. It is hard to replicate the same level of darkness at home. Even by using curtains, there may still be light seeping from the surroundings and is difficult to eliminate all light. However, in the cinema, audiences can be isolated from the surroundings.

-Tong Wing Sum, 3036217116

1 thought on “[READING RESPONSE] : Roland Barthes

  1. Dilruba says:

    You have comprehensively summarized the movie-watching experience and how it could differ in different settings, which is much appreciated. However, for response writing, you should also reflect on your own understanding rather than only summarizing the piece.

    Reply

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