On Film and the Public Sphere Author(s): Alexander Kluge, Thomas Y. Levin and Miriam B.

Hansen Reviewed work(s): Source: New German Critique, No. 24/25, Special Double Issue on New German Cinema (Autumn, 1981 - Winter, 1982), pp. 206-220 Published by: New German Critique Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/488051 . Accessed: 28/08/2012 18:24
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On Filmand thePublicSphere
Kluge by Alexander

NARRATIVECINEMA* of I wouldn't making films itweren't the if for cinema the1920's,the be films has beenin reference this it silent era. SinceI havebeenmaking to of tradition. this classical stories, is precisely conception narrative my Telling of narrative and whatelse is thehistory a country thevastest but cinema; surface all? Notone story many of but stories. MONTAGE-FILM the This meansmontage. Therecan be no doubtthat narrative an of can historical material individual in unfolded ninety minutes, convey fate, at price dramaturgical Thefictional threat of incest. only the displaces experiof encefrom film. thehistory film, the In of is montage the"morphology relations" Then is des ("die Formenwelt Zusammenhangs"). there also the artificial Mere of and opposition documentary mise-en-scene. documentation cuts relations: off exists the actions and without emotions, objectively nothing that the of people involved.have I senses the desires, is,without eyesandthe never of havetobe understood thedepiction suchacts(most which of why is But to fiction-film. itis equally staged) calledfiction, ideological assume that succeeds individuals coulddetermine no Therefore, narrative history. a i.e. withoutcertain of Such material, documentation. proportion authentic useofdocumentation a establishespoint reference the of for eyesandsenses: realconditions theviewfortheaction. clear AUTEURFILM-COOPERATIVE FILM I havealways believed the in auteur in continuationearly of film film, the Godard youlike,CosDovshenko, Griffith, Rosselini, (if history: Dreyer, and I in them. Schroeter, others. find tard), myself goodcompany among
Withdelight discoverthat I and Coppola WoodyAllen(Manhattan) Frank
* Thisandthe are from Patriotin Die Zweitau(Frankfurt/Main: following excerpts taken sendeins, 1979).

206

Fihnand thePublicSphere

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different cinematic tradition take recourse ofa representatives completely is associative, appeal their tothesamevigorous they style principles; editing tofilm it a to or films, tomake history, is never risk make personal compact films: "You gotto rely people." on film Fortheauteur there no waybacktothe is ready-made (KonfektionsNor in It cinema remain itspresent state. cannotincessantly film). canauteur deliver film eachofwhich reinvent history. Cineworks, single individually mais a program is a relationship production iffor other of no reason that than which that relationship this exists theexperiences thespectators in of recreate cinema's the horizon. multitude films The of constantly experiential intheminds thespectators continue be infinitely than of richer what will to canbe seeninthecinema until number directors atcombining a of work their skillsand temperaments, most their and professional feelings impersonal for who a of pulses.This is actually matter respect thespectator always If withothers, acquires experience collectively. you wantto developthe auteur further, film the becauseyoubelievein it,then onlywayis through all relate cinema not minority is a Auteur to cooperation. phenomenon: people their of stores. like than experience authors rather managers department LEAVINGTHE GARDEN PATHS films strictly is an historicalanti-academic, insolent Making occupation, there of In present but situation is plenty refined lygrounded inconsistent.the - refinement'serious' entertainment too of Problem') (gepflegtes topics The of as ifthe cinema a stroll the on garden of was paths a park. observance has to theprohibition leaving garden on the paths beenknown havecaused as as German revolutions fail. Something refined thatdoes notneed to children would rather backinto bushes as they the Indeed, just duplication. go is would to sand ina junkyard. or says prefer playinthe Happiness, Freud, the to I that has fulfillment wishes. amconvinced film somethingdo ofchildhood deforward with film constantly moving happiness: = movie= something all whowouldstopit. spite those THE CRITICAL MEASURE OF PRODUCTION:WHATIS LEFT OUT cinemais becoming famous abroad.The actual These days German on "Whenskating ofGerman is precarious. filmmakers, however, practice is to moveas fast as thin theonlywayto keepfrom ice, through breaking possible."
1. The German term "Problemfilm" nothavean equivalent English would does in but extend suchfilms Kramer Kramer, to as vs. Love Ordinary certainly People, or Making (translators' footnote).

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Alexander Kluge

TheProblem theNewcomers of In thelast17years, so-called NewGerman has the Cinema gonethrough four and First Oberhauseners pre-Oberhausenersexamthe (for generations. Reitz others), the and then Wicki, Rischert, Senft, Kristl, Strobel, Vesely, ple newonesafter Herthem Fassbinder, Ktickelmann, (Schl6ndorff, Syberberg, Wenders others), then third and and the Costard, (Schroeter, zog, generation and others). Lemke,Kahn,St6ckl Praunheim, Today,a fourth H6rmann, and crewaveof young is filmmakersemerging, numerous evidently quite direcwhich itself from so-called the established ative, distinguishes clearly tors. contrast theoriginal In filmmakers" arenow who to German "young is therealyoung almost in their all this German forties, fourth generation cinema. are Noneoftheinstitutionspublic of in Republic as funding theFederal to ofthecinema yetresponding thealternative conceptions being developed This is by thisnew fourth generation discriminated generation. younger to the strucas outside narrow academic against soonas itattempts operate tures thefilm of to them schools. willbe impossible, It however, restrict to
thesegrovesof academe. (. . .)

and Institutional of Independence Politics Production If one compares wealth work experience the and which of makeup our with in then to these representedGerman are films, country theextent which twoobservations be made: most itdoesnot can of in films, and (1) appear the art since 1920'sis a promise the which never has beenfulfilled. (2) the offilm Thesuccess the of German cinema and the of abroad with united coteries film directors the that, mask fact measured the of medium, the against potential the German cinemais stagnating. Thereis notenough historical not depth, conventional the US is to film, imaginative competitionsure defeat one-way German on This couldbe changed products themarket. situation onlyifthe of were to rather of forms principle multiplicity applied therange cinematic than personal or matter. Sucha strategy, which being is just styles subject discussed filmmakers great with a indicates newly among urgency, gained consciousness production; call itpolitics production, of we of institutional independence. THE MEDIA ARE STANDINGON THEIR HEAD
One speaksof 'filmproducers,' 'film-auteurs.' of television, Accordingly video corporations, radio and thecinemaconsiderthemselves be the the to media.In fact are the and under the which media they merely forms conditions exist.The truemedium experience, desires,of phantasies, actually of of and to of (. enoughdocumentation createa senseofcontext. . .) In thedomain the

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of aesthetic as and the appreciation well,are therealhuman beings never in at toil means specialists. jobs, they away,which turn Peoplework steady in work their on in overtime order survive to they they relationships, work bothwork private This the and balance, relationships. is thelaborof inner of the work a lifetime. is madeupofthese three Life elements, stuff powerful the of centuries withall its misery errors. is thusthat horizons It of and and are The of perception themedium socialexperience actually produced. media reflect so-called feed the on returns this of labor. only something They which filled bythespectators their ownexperion from out depends being ence.There nota single is that Markor dollar themediacashin at thebox rental taxes,which notearned thespectator nonis or or office, through by whom is therefore thenon-spectator we deOur to spectator. responsibility and ceive if we masquerade the media.Both,thatis, non-spectators as its i.e. the constitute mediaandproduce reception: itis spectators together, their that the imagination animates screen. UTOPIANCINEMA The artof thecinema young, is 70 old. It doesnothavea barely years feudal totherefinementforms of which architecture, music, past.Compared oil over and cultivated thecenturies, literature, painting sculpture supported an and the of by the traditional unity culture property, cinemadisplays in the atleast itsearly Notobliged follow to robustness, days. amazing vigor, intricate and (S. waysof 'civilization its discontents' Freud),filmtakes which has recourse thespontaneous to of faculty workings theimaginative existed tens thousands years.SincetheIce Age approximately for of of (or the of of have streams images, so-called associations, moved earlier), through human to mind, attitude, the by by prompted someextent an anti-realistic havean order which organized is an unbearable protest They against reality. the of and byspontaneity. hardly product mere Laughter, memory, intuition, This are of education, basedon thisrawmaterial associations. is themoreof to which strip, than-ten-thousand-year-old-cinema theinvention thefilm Thisalso exand screen a technological projector response. onlyprovided to and of plainstheparticular proximity filmto thespectator itsaffinity experience. "UNDER THE SIGN OF THE HERMAPHRODITE" in to are Thestandards culture aesthetic and of quality ambiguous relation almost of the cinema. thefuture To everylandscape, archaeologistsourfilm films. federal The even will as no-quality thing appear culture, theso-called of The production top insists however, upontopquality. subsidy system, in is films hemmed by bureaucracy, ownership, private planning, quality

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and which centralization, business, pragmatism does censorship a mechanical notsoundlikecensorship actually one but effective represents of themost of instrumentspresent-day censorship. Thistype censorship of which benefits thegallimaufry plagues from the of standards quality film. in James Arnold and Joyce, Sch6nberg, thelate in Beethoven of quartets represent indisputable pinnacles quality literature and music.In thecinema, wouldfrustrate equally an thesesameproducts in which validdesire thespectators in their consists asserting non-classical needsforexpression satisfying libidinal and their economy. Thisis thetrue an ofdiversity; ideal.For (. . .) hardly abstract meaning thisreasonthehistory film of a is contains utopian strain which what for accounts theattractionthecinema butitis a utopia of which, contrary in This especially theunsophisticated imagination. unsophisticated imaginais buried under thick a ofcultural It tion, however, layer garbage. has tobe of not can notion, be realized dugout.Thisproject excavation, atalla utopian ourwork. onlythrough
THE SPECTATOR AS ENTEPRENEUR to theGreekmeaning ou-topos= no place, is in existence of and everywhere

Thefilm television and live of money the and coopercorporations off the ation theimaginative of faculties which from extract the labor) (unpaid they a mature citizen is willing pay.Kant who to spectator.They designate anyone is man'srelease from self-incurred his tutesays:enlightenment (Ausgang) LeniPeickert lage (selbstverschuldeten Unmiindigkeit). says: are "People mature when have they their off. ."2 day . Inorder cheat to on have scale, entrepreneurs spectators anentrepreneurial the todesignate spectators the themselves entrepreneurs. spectator sit as The must inthemovie houseor infront theTV setlikea commodity of owner: a like miser detailandcollecting on which has every grasping surplus everything this from alienated anyvalue.Valueperse. So uneasy spectator-consumer, hisownlifeso completely themanager a supermarketdepartment like of or store who- evenat theprice death of (heart attack) willnotstopaccuthe of storeroom that may so mulating lastscraps marketable goodsinthe they find their How disturbed is when he how buyers. peoplepass byhis store; nervous gets he about in storeroom which not immediately. do sell objects the
2. "Maindig ist der Mensch, wenn er Ausgang hat (. . .)." From: AlexanderKluge, Die Artisten der Zirkuskuppel: in ratlos; Die Unglaubige;projektZ; Spriicheder Leni Peickert reform theprotagonist Kluge's film and of in Underthe Artisten derZirkuskuppel: ratos (Artists Die Big Top: Ata Loss; 1968) and theshort unbeziihmbare Peickert Leni Leni (The Indomitable

R. (Munich: Piper is in 1968),p. 131.LeniPeickert (Hannelore Verlag, Hoger), anexpert circus

Peickert; 1970)(translators; footnote).

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In a similarly reached fashion the entrepreneurial thespectator having - scansfilms their andexhibition for desired consumer spectacle maturity to values,forcomplete just intelligibility, as one is taught gnawa bone the as thesaying so that sunwillshine.The however, sun, goes, thoroughly, and to itsthunderous course,'according itsownhabits unconcerned 'taking or does with human communication, notcaretheleastwhether notwe clean ourplates. colowhich is a film imperialism Understanding completely conceptual has been then nizesitsobjects.If I haveunderstood everything something out. emptied of We must that makefilms thoroughly opposesuchimperialism conI me which surprises andwhich infilm still I sciousness.encounter something the on a puddle which understand it.I cannot canperceive without devouring the I rainis falling I can onlysee it; to say that understand puddleis I meansthat myself becomealive fora moment, Relaxation meaningless. the with policewild:for oncenottobe on guard to my allowing senses run likeintention letting of me.3 nothing escape THE PUBLIC SPHERE* the If Alexander spherepublic oppositional Kluge: wearediscussing term and is which changing expandof we andbythis meana type public sphere of articulationexperience then for the ing,increasing possibilities a public to to the takea stanceregarding right intimacy, we mustveryresolutely with is of a For ofexperience. example, group people faced ownership private no. an from occupied eviction imminent building intheSchumannstrasse We demolished. know houseswhere four where in Frankfurt 69 actually it know as well.They and to that in already November itis going happen, they had andhavealways theplanto in havedwelled thishouseforthree years the for in to return something thecommunity exchange occupying house:a Thatplannever services. of and service all sorts other tenants' counseling takes their the before eviction, out. worked Shortly finally energy political do whatever didnot inthe like would tomake for previous they up they shape: that and to We three the years. wanted film eviction wecouldassume itwould the We carnival. told the when entire wascelebrating take city placeata time because the before eviction to we that wanted start shooting house-occupiers this work couldwe really then They together. saidhowever: is ourfight only live who to allowourfight be filmed anyone doesnot inthe andwe willnot by
he With brother, built his was in 3. Fafner (Wagner's) giant. Rheingold oncea powerful his Then to had the a Walhalla, feat godsthemselves beenunable accomplish. hekilled brother like He the andis nowguarding treasure. sitsthere a dragon. * Thisandthe in: Kluge, originally published KlausEder/Alexander following pieceswere Hanser, Ulmer 1980). (Munich: Reibungsverluste Dramnaturgien:

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schedule and we house fight us. To which responded: working with our does but with not allowustolivehere, wecanatleast you,wecanbethere our join in camera when houseis cleared granted, sucha case we wouldbe the out; indisguise because, placesofourown,we are house-occupiers only having not all less to To which replied: the reason allowyouto they house-occupiers. us it to film sincethisis ourstruggle, belongs us. We continued argue, to without andsaid:youcan'tclaim of success, private ownership your although like an entrepreneur claimsprivate of his factory and struggle ownership us wouldtherefore hissecurity order force prevent from to Don't shooting. this with to yourealizethat is thesameposition regard thepublicsphere? Don'tyouseethat arecopying that other cando much side you something the a non-public a of better, namely sphere, producing producing relationship andexclusion? may that consider prostitutes exist It be us who property you and nowhere: this adamantly we that to everywhere yet respond exactly is our itis not business liveeverywhereonce.Ifwewere make our at a to to job: film about thesituation and would thesame:we arenotfarmers be farmers, evenifwe lived farmers half year still like for a we would be farmers. Just not becausewe workin factories does notmakeus factory workers. are We aware we haveanother that and to. always profession canleaveifwewant A can be produced whenyou acceptthe publicsphere professsionally only of which involved carrying pieceofinformation is in one to degree abstraction insociety, another lines when establish ofcommunication. That's place you the an and the only waywe cancreate oppositional public sphere thus expand which justas important is as Thisis an occupation existing publicsphere. direct the action, immediate on-the-spot struggle. KlausEder:Woulditnotbe appropriate stopusing term to the oppositional - which datesfrom time the around public sphere May 1968- sincewhat in senseoftheterm? youmeanis a publicsphere theauthentic Alexander the of that Kluge:We mean opposite a pseudo-public sphere, is, a which representative faras it involves is in so representative sphere public exclusions. its a for of Television, example, following mandate providing universal of whichits monopoly its and (a representationreality concept are afford show to films go that pluralistic authority basedupon)couldnever so much the that would attention whatever call to against grain they scopeof television notinclude. does Thiswould the of reality destroy facade legitimathe is of cyonwhich public sphere television based.Ifa pseudo-public sphere and value to onlyrepresents of reality, parts selectively according certain then even cuts be out. systems, ithastoadminister further so itwon't found Thistype public of has met from sphere recently with competition a public Within latter, Springer the the sphere appropriated private by enterprise.
is an of corporation to some extent onlya novice,retaining element personalism whichsets its own limits:thereactionary attitude theentrepreneur in of factreducesthesales figures. This will be technocratically corrected some at the and the point,eliminating personalaspectof Springer, thereby realizing

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of Thisis a great private appropriation thepublicsphere. danger if all forms theclassicalpublicsphere of have thetendency, representative as In to reduce themselves. this the public sphere, automatically respect, conceptionof a publicsphere whichis neither ownednorsimply the privately of classicaltype of fundamental the conditions politics is importance: very depend uponit. call The publicsphere in thisscenewhatone might thefactory is of - itssite production. of When site production the this of politics spacein in which made atallandcommunicable iscaught a is first politics possible between is no longer inthe (which public scissors-grip private appropriation authentic classical (its sense)andtheself-eliminating public-sphere mechanisms subtraction exclusion); threatens to of and whenthispublicsphere loss land itslosswould as grave be as the ofthe common was today disappear, the was for farmer theMiddle the in Ages.In that period economy basedon the to one to lord three system: acrebelonged everyone, belonged the acre one as can as andonebelonged the function long there to farmer. system only This which thefirst is that lord the is this thepublic common land, thing ground, he then has land If the appropriates.heownsboth common andhisownacre, onfighting the with sword, lord now the can No longer superiority. dependant The also alsocontrol third andwillsoonhaveserfs. lossofland means the acre the a loss ofcommunity is because,ifthere no landon which farmers may The is a to it assemble, is nolonger possible develop community. samething inpeople'sheadswhen on a historically they plane, higher happening again, of the aredeprived thepublic of Thiscreates phenomenontherubber sphere. for and wanting to wall:I sitinmyroom haveenough and reasons protest for there these I break but out there noonetowhom cancommunicate reasons, is addressees writing I to arenoproper addressees. insteadturn substitute So by Or to which for letters-to-the-editor, nobody paysanyattention. I example, concrete a politician helpsme outof myimpasse shifting who by support for which inturn I mistake myown into of politics problems thearena world via interests believed be realized this to displacement. is which the'public this Forthese this reasons, usevalue, product sphere' of I of exists. terms community,what In is the that most fundamental product of it is thebasis forprocesses social have in common with other people, if the of about concept politics I neglect the Thismeans, canforget I change. we which must Thisis a claimto legitimacy ofa public production sphere. the needs despite the and insist against many private carefully upon oppose its with bourgeois fact disappointment the that betraysphere, failures, public a to als and distortions led manyleftist has groups reject publicsphere altogether. films thus of and KlausEder:Thepromotion production documentary would sincein general in theendbe a political onlythat question all themore is which stabilizes domination possible. that the the it Alexander Kluge:Yes, but is not casethat domination confronts

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usis a conscious Allmethods domination those profit one. of and of do (which andthereby not want dominate rather make but to to contain a dominate) profit calculation marginal that erected corporaof Thismeans thefence utility. by all does tions, censorship, authority notreach thewaytothebasebut by by short because baseis so complex so that cancrawl the one under stops thefence anytime. at Eventelevision andboard can members be producers examined light this in of of calculation marginal In a utility. thehierarchy, is to who is in turn subordinate the to producer subordinate themanager television board which againresponsible still is to others: producer the must orders hewillbe fired. or is true half however, only for ofhissoul, This, obey so tospeak;another ofhim in course curious. While the of part maybe very time may he become in of he nevertheless,terms hislabor resigned, power is more than who there. Thismeans in that justthefunctionary is employed television there a and of every producer exists conflict nosystem domination in theworld reduce producer can the to In completely thefunctionary.this conflict must the we take sideofthe television We on producer. cancount the fact nooppression total. issuethen that The is becomes learning proper the of We must which the the to produce self-confidence is necessary discover of underneath fences wemust these and take objective possibilities production theoffensive fighting this in for position. isjustas importantproduce It to a as etc. affection, resistance, publicsphere it is to produce politics, protest, Thismeans the that placeandthe of struggle justas important are as pacing the thestruggle itself. On theother to a we hand,inorder envisage public sphere of which - we needan almost knowverywell that there all too little is childlike of for the vacation I When, example, summer feeling omnipotence. begins vacillate towhether canexpress as one oneself at publicly all: I don'tbelieve in a single that and product I couldmakeandso I withdraw write secret my that I of that texts, is literature,which know itwillremain essentially marginal tothe SinceI willnot incite large masses people of public sphere. any through themedium a book,I canwrite of I whateverlikeknowing itwillnever that I attack. evenhadthe idea- ina mood resignation ofhiding of engender a print mynext of film theMunich in FilmMuseum waiting see ifany and to film woulddiscover there years it ten later. Thismerely of out philologist frustration the about incredible and one involved when struggles compromises wants see a film to to through thepublicsphere. ourselves filmmakers we attempt create selfas could to a Onlyamong confidence considers that as possible. this willonly In we succeed, everything if the of a We however, we recognize importance producingpublic sphere. must consider degree which is essential peoplelive with the to it that one
another a societyand thatcommunity notsomething in is alongsideof work forspecial occasions and future that is an hopes, butrather community itself elementof social change. ways of dealingwithpeople (die Lehre der richtigen Umgangsformen).

Film the and Public Sphere 215 THE SIGNIFICANCEOF PHANTASY of of Q: Whatis thesignificance phantasy theproduction thepublic (for sphere)? Alexander is that EveryKluge:Phantasy a capacity is universally employed. oneusesphantasy. the i.e. But proportions, inwhat measure make of use we the social control. is it, are beyond Phantasy keptoutside publicsphere, for of a as effect, example, imagininggangof (the regarded a gypsy unusual As of children booth a nuclear power awayin thecontrol plant). a playing It to result this of escapesdomesticationsomedegree. suppression, phantasy kinds discipline. of Other elements of this certain paysfor status notusing by a to And amount of are however, made conform. then again, certain phantasy, which human of balance is beings by phantasy absorbed theeconomy inner Even in work personal and needifthey want survive both to relationships. as I I take in it my by part alienation,counteractbyexporting problems, compenThis is a formof phantasy under satorymoves, by bribing myself. domination. the use Thereis no social agreement regulating common of phantasy. has then the to evenafter other When continue speak person understood, you with gunandhe or she a if another person youexceeda norm; youthreaten if then surrenders you shootanyway but you are a criminal; youeat until that's psychologifor but to full normal, ifyoucontinue eat,then you're that's is of in casesthere a sense proportion. cal reasons. Thisis tosaythat all these On is Butin theworkings phantasy, senseofproportionmissing. the the of hand when on onehand, may phantasy be usedinexcesswhile theother Phanbe cannot repressed. imagine anything itmay severely yousuddenly also provides kind temporary which a of falling peoplefrom tasy glue keeps to them somehow live of which enable the apart through production illusions with themselves. should which public, public is the In addition language, to grant sphere of includes stream the this and the of medium, phantasy status a communal of avenues phantasy). ofmemory twomain and associations thefaculty (the I In is of of A continuous shifting perspectivestypical phantasy. phantasy involved or effort I canimagine cantransport toAfrica without myself myself The as ina love-scene the in middle a desert allthis of happens ina dream. to has of cease toexist.Ifphantasy goodreasons disregard obstacles reality the for reality these obstacles as a compensation the real principle then is howcanyou,for sakeofwhatever the cause,encourage phantasy question from different those on to developsuchperspectives it (i.e. perspectives be film could in as inherentthings they are).Indocumentary this only realized in radical which of via a mixing forms theonlymethod changes permits perspective. to three film Hormann:Documentary faces First, a large problems. Giinther

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extent givesan account specific it of instances cangeneralize with and only film in which Second, sphere difficulty. documentary presents people a public is itself tends expose and to them. insensitive that to Third, process as a result film as defense is, bydepicting reality itreally documentary runs against up of mechanisms especially among peoplewhoareafraid reality. which it film forms would make possible to Documentary should develop overcome thesedefense In mechanisms. political there the is situations, is of realm there thefairy onto tale language silence.In thepsychological which problems transposed. documentary suchforms not real In film do are yetexist. Klaus Eder: The present notone-dimensional rather product is but a of itis coated is this the with ofthe for Ofwhat history; significance layers past. cinema? Hermann: is a problem suchcomplexity onecanhardly of that This Giinther it deal with as an individual more.WhenI makea documentary a on any I traces thepastinto of to strike,don'thavethetime simultaneously pursue which wouldhaveto delveas well. one Alexander it of difficult to Kluge:When lookatanimage a factory,isvery you the the between ahistorical andhistory. for But, example, distinguish present of in looked itdoestoday, the like or history theplow,which 8 A.D. already oftools ofa strike that might abletodo I be cross with cut history footage with. something KlausEder:So youwouldintercut synchronic (Querschnitt) a the view with diachronic number of (Ldngschnitt), perspective ideallywithan infinite diachronic perspectives? Alexander cut of a Kluge:Andsinceevery provokes phantasy,storm phancanevenmakea break the in film. is exactly sucha point It at that tasy, you information isconveyed. is what This meant the of notion shock. by Benjamin Itwould wrong saythat film be to a aim should toshock viewers this the would restrict independence powers perception. point is their and of The here the surprise whichoccurswhenyou suddenly as if by subdominant in and out throught processes understand something depth then, of this redirect phantasy the course events. to real of This deepened perspective, your is perspectivism. basically One the takes standards to one according which a of and contrast) composes film image(framing, perspective, depth field, them thedramaturgycontext. to of applies Letus take, example, story a young anda young for the of man a woman, which does with happy the of story certainly notconclude ending thefilm. What twoofthem doingis work; works, work, the are it their they feelings
subconscious work,their works,their works;and whenthetwoof prehistory them there reallysix peoplethere, are sincethetwopairs speakto each other, of parentssit invisibly the among them.This is how I maintain historical dimension.

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in them fields between arequite (and unplowed elementary), Encyclopidie the these lies phantasy. gaps
Five Aspectsof Realism

A du thecontext. And in thegaps between Ulysses, la recherche temps perdu, the the Dialectic of Englightenment, completeworks of Marx, Diderot's

of each constitutes In literature, interaction all novels the amongst other

the between author representation, and The first level:therelationship is near for A single ofa bush idealofauthenticity. shot instance, K6nigsberg, a I other off authenticI setthis if (were toinclude images image clearly from would be so not then bladeofgrass a houseanda smokestack, theimage and on and decideon thefocus,thedelineation, then the So distinct). I first to I bushsufficient? for of If, example, want say question context is this but and is that bush threatened a nuclear this nothing the plant I show by power a I then wouldremain empty this an assertion;wouldfailtoestablish bush, and des context. Realisminvolves (Arbeit Begriffs), reconceptualization motif and individual horizon the an of the quires exploration both experiential a concept two A and these constitute (Motiv). distinction anhorizon: (Begriff). into elements something of a If I proceed combine number individual to will a that be projected a screen, mere can onto significance. pattern acquire for but shot That the is caseevenfor single - ifI show a nothing a tree ninety I am relative everything to on then takes a privileged minutes, this meaning that battles those When Clausewitz that the not says all potential showing. a that as donot take place- arejustas importantthose do,hehasunderstood he certain dialectic: actslikea realist. and to of Nextcomestherelationship thefilmmakertheproduct toeach which takes with spectator individual the shot, interaction the placeevenifthe to filmmakerabsent. is That,too, is thefilmmaker's responsibility:assess is to this whether relationshiprealistic, takesides(eineparteiliche Haltung in the inthis a There however, contradiction relationshipthat is, einnehmen). the or filmmaker works six months a yearon a single for film, spectator, eventhe of in of quantity time minutes: terms the however, ninety spent, only The viewer. filmover an starts with advantage the out most modest author will that viewer maker tobridge gap,as ifbytranslation, has this knowing the the will which determine first out a deciphercodeofmeaning ofthe sequences of the mode comprehending both Thiscodeaffects film. of entire reading the which of and thefilm track) thekind information willbe absorbed (the (the in turn vehicleon thetrack).Bothprocesses (thatof information being of the of codestructuringreading and on levelofcontent that the absorbed the form between and the of or a film means form through difference by primarily
determined thepre-existing a involvea two-fold by content) reading: reading of (whichis notat understanding thespectator (previously acquired)cultural as to all objectivebut is actuallyitself producedby a resistance objectivity) thesereal, ambiguous,subjectiveIt well as a desireforobjectivity. is with interacts. thatthe filmmaker of objectiveinterests the spectator

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Alexander Kluge

The next the of in the stepis to consider question realism thesensethat films with but with never deals with clusters, relationship spectator single his of films spectator between films the the knows, orher concept cinema, This films series in havea proper influence genre expectations. is why only in andfunction thepublicsphere. shot the of Therealproduct thus the is neither single nor combinationshots inonefilm, nor neither relationshipthe of filmmaker spectators even tothe the of the rather productiona public the by sphere. reception thespectator but commuThepublic a structure which all depends future sphere provides upon In nication experience a society. that of in of sense,all theproducts new German Cinema flawed: leaveoutbroad are ofthe of they aspects experience no Wildenhahn's Onthis there absolutely difference is between reality. point, and sharethe notion that"the critical position4 my own; we obviously measure production whatis left of is out." Rather defending than hermetic which couldeasily against other, is more we use each it viewpoints important tocreate sucha public by cooperation, joint through sphere through efforts, the changing products. MONTAGE,AUTHENTICITY,REALISM Klaus Eder: To whatextent yourfilms before are conceived you begin on table? to what extent they are created theediting or, shooting, I When of is Alexander films, Kluge:Montage a theory relationships. making I that with am alwaysconfronted theproblem whatever can see does not Brecht of On contain these says5: relationships. thesubject realism, actually is on ofwhat is an exterior oftheAEG ifI cannotsee what going use view international in of inside building terms relationships, labor, the capital, wage about AEG itself. the of investments a photograph theAEG saysnothing have slippedintothe mostof the real conditions Thus, as Brecht says, of If of This heart the of problem realism. I conceive realism functional. is the for cannot a as the then ofrelationships, I must provide trope what knowledge in consists record. trope This in film, what camera cannot beshown the for the
4. German filmmaker is a strong who for documentary spokesman a classical realist concept of documentary; UlmerDramnaturgien, 135 ff. cf. pp. 5. The actual passage reads as follows:"The situation complicatedby thefactthatless is thaneverdoes a simple 'reproduction reality'tellus anything of A of aboutreality. photograph theKruppsfactory oftheAEG yieldspractically or abouttheseinstitutions. genuine The nothing has slipped intothe functional. of The reification humanrelations; factory the reality say, no 'artifito longergives out theserelations.Hence it is in fact'something construct', something Der Dreigroschenprozess cial,' 'posited.' Hence in factartis necessary." - B. Brecht, (The Three Penny Trial) Gesamnmelte Werke(Frankfurt a.M.: Suhrkamp),vol. XVIII, p. 161. Translation citedfrom Ben Brewster, "From Shklovsky Brecht: Reply," Screen,vol. 15, to A no. 2 (Summer 1974), p. 93 (translators; footnote).

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is two which only the contrast between shots another ofsaying montage. way Becauseofthe Atissuehere theconcrete between images. two are relations which between shots two that and,tothe degree moverelationship develops such is ment so-called isgenerated between shots, information (the cinematic) in hidden thecutwhich in itself. means This would be contained theshot not from that has montage as itsobject something quite qualitatively different raw material. wouldnotbe suffiof The employment montage however, exclusively, it wouldbe absurdforit wouldeliminate basis whichmakes the cient; in at identificational representation montage all possible:the immediate, But which object which speakis alsopresent theimage. howmany of I in the are in world self-contained is, for which completely are (that objects there the ourWestern of imagination, Poona6 might be otherwise)? in well that type in trees Takea tree example. canshoot I it be to for trees; might boring watch and it of seasons, yet thewind ninety for ora tree over course the the minutes, wouldstill a self-contained ofinformation. then But be again,I could piece is of also say:this is unaware thefact K6nigsberg that bushnear Kinigsberg nolonger ofGermany is nowcalledKaliningrad. is anauthentic This and part since which self-contained. is statement Itneedsnofurther explanation from in it theperspective thebushit is of no consequence which of country is orin ifthe were located. tree next a nuclear to However, growing power plant I a courtyard, itwould longer a self-contained which could then no be object of this ina single I havetocommunicate context means take. would by present a cut,sinceno imagecouldconvey information. this the this for as necessary thefilm a wholeto shoot scene.Thisis to saythat to bushexisted the before entire the film; bushanditsrelationship Kalininthe and incorpoamong outtakes wasonly grad.It subsequently disappeared in Thereis thusa decision rated thefinal version thefilm. of beingmade this which which calculates proportions relate information the during shooting to all other a film, simply in When information. youstart lay you shooting supplies. it a is A puddle which rain falling likewise self-contained on is the object: of with can notbe so old as to have anyconnection thebombings 1945. a non-human it of represents days Basically hasa history three and,as a result, of attitude. couldthink further One nothing representing examples patriotic I ora person repose. in Thisis thestarting buta single point. cannot object a such without a starting the of point, years convey perspective twothousand to of which measure. zerodegree proportion against Aristotecan A montage successful thespectator distinguish pure is if (in
of lean fashion)betweentwo radicalpoles, two designations timeand place
which usedto in sect the 6. A slur Republic against Ashram-Baghwan popular theFederal The in have itscenter pilgrimage Poona,India(Bombay of Province). pseudo-documentary in shown this no. in country. Ashram Poona (cf.Pflasterstrand, 77 (April1980)is also being

In the case of the bush near Kaliningrad (Die Patriotin),I feltit was

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becauseonlythen one decodeeverything independent whether can of else, suchdecoding actually is out. If a sailorsuchas Odysseus, for carried is sailing theMediterranean,candetermine locations he his on example, by the the of the between taking measurementstwostars; calculating distance he stars between and with stars horizon thehelpofa sextant, canfigure and outhisposition. it involves more than suchmeasurements; nothing Montage is the ofcreating art What decisive this is in caseis that Odysseus proportions. does notmeasure location but the it the itself, rather relationship;is this in cut, which contained the atexactly point is that where film the relationship doesnotshowanything. on is both the Whatever shown, theother is hand, the of ofthemessage yet, a certain and to condition extent, insignificant part itscommunicability. KlausEder: Do youreject practice associational the of montage? but and associations encourages involves Alexander them; Kluge:Montage to in cut.IfI were structure contained the are these associations basically my and the then in fashion, I would neglect proportions montage an associative no from act. wouldbe a very that arbitrary This is basically different the are to write andschoolchildren forced memorize where situation poems poets to a of own with phantasy their be forced on should them why earth people in fashion was which conceived an associative heart learn by something by associations on to a else? It is necessary impose structure these somebody to two Between extreme which in functions extremes. polesI can proceed manner. valuesin an associative work with theintermediate all which mentioned bush near earlier, you Q: To comebacktothat Kaliningrad if of notion authenticity to it it and would be legitimate would correspondyour elseandthen somewhere but it not Kaliningrad rather youwere toshoot near the cutit into film? of if Alexander Kluge:I wouldhavetoconsider thesubstitutiona authentic use bushbyjust anybushwouldhavea different valueforthespectator, Kalininthat If I assume thebushnear whether wouldchange it something. rather than a relationship just a bush,an object,thenthis gradconveys ofwhere in mind the of spectator can independently relationship becreated the or doubles Strauss for I I haveshot bush.However, wouldnotlookfor the an or from object a to if for In words, I want work Schmidt, example. other to I as person such,then wouldhaveto accord reality.
Translatedby Thomas Y. Levin and MiriamB. Hansen