Dear everyone who is not already sick of this thread,
I am now willing to concede that there are many opportunities for viewers to
use their imagination while at the movies. For example, they can use it to
fill in missing pieces of the story, as Vince suggested, or, as Cynthia
Freeland suggested several posts ago, they can perhaps use it to imagine
themselves into the position of one of the characters. Surely, there are
other imaginative options open to us. I guess we should conclude from this
that it is in fact likely that no two people "think" exactly alike at the
movies. There is no, single movie going mental activity. A lot of different
sorts of activities go on in the minds of viewers. However, we might then
ask, if this is the case, is there any aspect of the movie going experience
that is shared (or can be shared) by all of its viewers? When we ask, say,
"Did you see the latest Austin Powers?" are we merely asking "Did you hold
your eyes open for most of the screening of a certain collection of images
known as the Spy Who Shagged Me?", or do we have in mind something more. Are
we asking whether or not you participated in a certain experience, perhaps
one that involved a particular sort, or sorts, of mental experiences or
activities?
If so, then I am still wondering if this activity or collection of
activities can primarily be described with reference to the use of the human
imagination. If so, what sort of acts of the imagination do we have in mind?
Some might argue that our primary engagement with the film involves us
imagining that we are actually witnessing the events that the film depicts
(i.e., the ol' Imagined Observer Hypothesis).
Alas, I still remain thoroughly unconvinced that this is a necessary or even
key element in the film going experience in general. What do others think?
(Again, I am not looking here for anything that might be thought to be the
best, or the most appropriate way to watch a particular film, I am more
interested in the aspects of film watching that we think we all pretty much
share when we say we have seen some film.)
Respectfully yours, despite my stubbornheadedness,
Karen Bardsley
Montreal
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