Existentialist Cinema [Paperback]

An exploration of the relationship between cinema and existentialism, in terms of their mutual ability to describe the human condition, this book combines analyses of topics in the philosophy of film with an exploration of specific existentialist themes expressed in the films of Fellini, Bergman and Woody Allen, among others.List of Illustrations Introduction PART I: SETTING THE STAGE: THEORETICAL ISSUES Existentialism: An Overview of Important Themes and Figures Film as Tool for Philosophical Investigation Film Realism and Narrative Identity PART II: MEANINGFUL MOVIES Antonioni: Meaninglessness and the Modern World Religiosity in the Films of Ingmar Bergman Rethinking Raskolnikov: Exploring Contemporary Ethical Challenges in the Films of Woody Allen Authenticity in the Films of Federico Fellini The Nietzschean Free Spirit in Dead Poets Society and Harold and Maude Conclusion Notes Bibliography IndexWILLIAM C. PAMERLEAU is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, USA. He has published in the areas of philosophy of film, existentialism, and social philosophy.