This past Wednesday, the Benjamin group talked about the reproduction of art and its effect on aura. Benjamin states explicitly that "aura is never entirely separated from its ritual function" (1236). The medium of film was brought up die to the fact that it is meant to be reproduced. We couldn't quite decide what that meant for a film's aura. Someone offered the possibility that 'mechanical reproduction' is a new form of ritual, but I can't break it down that way, because I don't completely comprehend what Benjamin means by 'ritual'.
My brain went more in the direction of: From what aspect of film does the aura extend? Do the original files of the scenes hold the aura? I thought about how people spend large amounts of money on original props, costumes, set pieces, scripts, etc from the film. Is the aura in the original production? This got me thinking about 'Special Edition' DVDs and memorabilia (posters, figurines, t-shirts, etc). Do those things contain an aura from the film? Or their own aura? Or no aura? What about a video game based on a film? Benjamin defines aura as "the uniqueness of a work of art" (1236), so does basing the game on a film take away any potential uniqueness?
Going back to 'mechanical reproduction' as a new form of ritual: If this is true than wouldn't that change the properties of the aura? If the medium is in tended for mass production and the ritual revolves around mass production, than what happens to aura? Is it dissolved entirely? Is it merely distributed amongst the copies--like when a company only makes 1,000 of a certain product? Or is it an entirely different kind of artistic effect?
On a last note: Is aura connected with worth/value? I seemed to have assumed that, but maybe it's the key issue with my questions.
1 comment:
Although I'm not too sure about the film aspect of your question Tango, I feel like I can contribute something to your inquiry regarding souvenirs and fandom merchandise from specific movies.
As far as original props, costumes and set pieces go, I think the aura is in the original production. Like Benjamin said about the eyes of an observer watching a line of mountains or a tree branch that shadows you, that observer is experiencing "the aura of those mountains, that branch". When you watch a film, you are aware that it is only a recording of actors doing their job and telling a story, but when it comes to actual production costumes and props, it's as if you're brining the movie to material and graspable life in your hands, only it's not just a reproduction so the aura is still there. It satisfies the need of the masses "to bring things 'closer' spatially and humanly", while losing none of the originality because it is the original costume or prop.
As far as fandom whoring goes (t-shirts, figurines, posters, halloween costumes of movie characters), I think Benjamin would push it into the category of "the decay of the aura" because it is really nothing more than cheap reproductions created by the studios and other investing companies to make more money. It gives in too much to the other habit of the masses, which is the "bent towards overcoming the uniqueness of every reality by accepting its reproduction", but people accept it because they want to wear their fandom on their sleeves and be proud of it. Also because it's cheaper.
I have a replica Sweeney Todd razor from the film. It's nice and shiny and it's great for student film spoofs, but while I like it for the original film that it represents, it lacks the impressive aura that say an actual razor prop from production would have had I been able to get my hands on one.
I think that's why such big fandoms as Harry Potter and Twilight (however stupid it may be) can get irritating because of all the merchandise it has to its name. Fans like originality and rarity in what they bring close "spatially and humanly" because it makes them feel special and feel closer to the original work, but the endlessly reproduced t-shirts and posters are socially accepted because everyone wants that (more affordable) attempt to bring the original aura closer to them. I thin that's why some fans of different things judge other fans by the quality of the memorabilia they own, because anybody can get the cheap stuff.
All quotes came from the Benjamin reading, page 1236.
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