Abstracts
Abstract
This article addresses the relationship between early cinema and the tradition of spiritualist exposés. The latter were spectacular shows performed by stage magicians in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, which aimed to debunk the tricks employed by spiritualist mediums in their séances. Drawing on the theoretical framework of the dispositif, this article shows how early cinema renewed and reinterpreted the tradition of the exposés. Focusing in particular on Hugo Münsterberg’s work, moreover, it addresses the connections between early film theory and psychological studies that debunked the illusions performed in spiritualist séances and stage magic. In the conclusion, the article proposes to employ the concept of “cinema of exposure” in order to address how early cinema invited spectators to acknowledge their own perceptual delusion.
Résumé
Cet article examine les relations entre le cinéma des premiers temps et la tradition des dévoilements (ou exposés) spiritistes. Ces derniers étaient d’impressionnants spectacles créés par des magiciens au XIXe siècle et au début du XXe siècle, afin de dévoiler les trucages employés dans les séances de spiritisme. À partir du cadre théorique de la théorie du dispositif, l’auteur illustre comment le cinéma des premiers temps a renouvelé et réinterprété cette tradition des exposés. De surcroît, à travers l’analyse de l’oeuvre d’Hugo Münsterberg, les liens entre la première théorie du cinéma et les études psychologiques concernant les illusions des séances spiritistes sont examinés. L’auteur propose enfin d’utiliser le concept du “cinéma de l’exposé” afin de comprendre comment le cinéma des premiers temps invitait les spectateurs à reconnaître leurs propres illusions perceptives.
Appendices
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