Epstein’s and Godard’s reflections on the film landscape  : Refleksje Epsteina i Godarda na temat krajobrazu filmowego

Barbara Kita

doi:10.21697/zk.2025.12.02

Published: 2025-12-15

No. 12 (2025)

Epstein’s and Godard’s reflections on the film landscape

Refleksje Epsteina i Godarda na temat krajobrazu filmowego

Barbara Kita

Cultural Studies Appendix

Section: Artykuły

https://doi.org/10.21697/zk.2025.12.02

Abstract

Reflections on landscape constitute a special subject of interest for artists dealing with the nature of image in culture and the status of film. The function and meaning of landscape as an independent aesthetic or meaning-generative unit become an important area of theoretical considerations for Jean Epstein and Jean-Luc Godard, among others. My intention is to look at the ways in which the directors’ theoretical insights are employed in their deeds being theoretical essay films treated on an equal footing with texts. While interpreting the artists’ attitude to landscape issues expressed in both their writings and films, I conclude that the author of Passion (1982) falls into the category of image-landscape thinking, whereas the director of The Fall of the House of Usher (1928) tends to explore reality by means of the film landscape.

Keywords:

Jean Epstein, Jean-Luc Godard, landscape, theory

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Kita, B. (2025). Epstein’s and Godard’s reflections on the film landscape : Refleksje Epsteina i Godarda na temat krajobrazu filmowego. Cultural Studies Appendix, (12), 45–61. https://doi.org/10.21697/zk.2025.12.02

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