Shots to the Heart: For the Love of Film Performance

Shots to the Heart examines how the work of film actors inspires, provokes, and refigures our feelings and thoughts about the cinema, focusing on the art of film performance and the combined effect of gestures, movements, and expressions. It encourages a careful regard for what actors on-screen are actually doing, moment-by-moment, gesture-by-gesture, and resists the attempt to assemble these descriptions of performance into a "full" account of the film. Instead, it lets little moments of performance live on, in writing, as they are strung together alongside performative fragments from other films, creating an alternative, cinephilic account of what was felt as actors moved on the screen before us.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 86 pages
Publication date: 06 September 2022
Publisher: Anthem Press

Shots to the Heart delves into the profound impact of the film actor's work on our emotions, thoughts, and understanding of cinema. The book meticulously examines the art of film performance, exploring the intricate interplay between actors' gestures, movements, and expressions and the sensitive and creative eye of the viewer. As individual moments of performative incarnation unfold on the screen, actors also emerge as figures of meaning. For many viewers, these screen figures are simply referred to as "characters." However, when discussing cinema, the terms "character" and "characterization" evoke post-experiential abstractions. They suggest a quick identification of characters or a summary of characterization after watching a movie, bypassing the emotional connections forged through our attentive engagement with the bodies moving across the film. Such concepts cannot replace a thorough examination of what actors are actually doing, moment by moment, gesture by gesture.

Shots to the Heart, rather than being preoccupied with the narrative intricacies within which these gestures are inscribed, resists the urge to compile these descriptions of performance into a comprehensive account of the film as a whole. Instead, it allows these fleeting moments of performance to live on, captured in writing, alongside performative fragments from other films. This unique approach creates an alternative, cinephilic account of the emotions experienced as actors moved on the screen before us.

Through its meticulous exploration of the film actor's craft, Shots to the Heart invites us to reevaluate our perception of cinema and the profound emotional connections it can elicit. It reminds us of the importance of slowing down, paying attention to the details, and allowing the power of performance to resonate within us. By doing so, we can deepen our understanding of the art form and appreciate the incredible talent and artistry of the film actor in shaping our cinematic experiences.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 229 x 153 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839985911