Interactive Cinema: The Ambiguous Ethics of Media Participation

Interactive Cinema explores how to turn movies into interactive, multi-media experiences that involve viewers. It looks at a variety of unconventional techniques from early cinema to Hollywood B movies, museum and gallery installations, virtual reality experiments, and experimental web-based works. It emphasizes the ethical dimensions of interactive media and their connections to issues of community building, citizenship, and democracy, and pushes the boundaries of cinema by combining cutting-edge theory with traditional film studies methodologies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 23 May 2024
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

Interactive cinema is a fascinating field that delves into the exploration of cinematic practices aimed at transforming what is traditionally perceived as a passive activity into a participatory and multimedia experience. In her comprehensive book, Marina Hassapopoulou takes us on a journey through the history of motion pictures, showcasing a wide array of unconventional approaches that have sought to immerse viewers in the production process.

Through a meticulous examination of early cinema, Hollywood B movies, museum and gallery installations, virtual reality experiments, and experimental web-based works, Hassapopoulou highlights a diverse range of strategies employed to challenge the notion of traditional cinema's passive spectatorship. By traversing various platforms, she uncovers a multitude of innovative approaches that emerged during sociopolitical crises and periods of historical transition. These radical approaches to the medium, many of which pushed the boundaries of technology and phenomenology, aim to expand our understanding of interactivity and its potential implications.

One of the key objectives of Interactive Cinema is to revise and expand Eurocentric scholarship, offering a much broader and transnational perspective. The book emphasizes the ethical dimensions of interactive media and their connections to larger concerns surrounding community building, citizenship, and democracy. By integrating cutting-edge theory with updated conventional film studies methodologies, Interactive Cinema pushes the boundaries of cinema and provides a valuable roadmap for navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of contemporary media.

Through her comprehensive analysis, Hassapopoulou sheds light on the ways in which interactive cinema can foster engagement, stimulate critical thinking, and promote social change. She challenges us to reconsider our relationship with media and encourages us to explore the ethical implications of our interactions with it. Interactive Cinema serves as a valuable resource for scholars, students, and media enthusiasts alike, offering a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between cinema, technology, and society.

Weight: 425g
Dimension: 216 x 140 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781517915223