Kate Jones

IS CINEMA DEAD? RESURRECTING THE CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE

Throughout cinema’s long history it has taken on many different forms. What began as simply the rapid projection of images on a screen has evolved into a media form in constant flux. Today, many filmic trends, like online streaming, multi-platform viewing and interactive theatres stand as reminders for cinema’s drastic evolution. Certain people argue that this immense shift in the cinematic experience is a sign of cinema’s death. Others, in order to push back against such ideas, have sought to understand cinema’s fundamental nature, the identifying feature of this artistic practice that has been preserved despite film’s different realizations. This thesis will explore the writings of three theorists whose work in the field of film studies has helped to legitimize cinema as an artistic practice. But, when juxtaposed with contemporary cinematic practices, each theory’s binding to the historical moment in which it was written becomes apparent.