Film art and Western Aesthetic Thought: An analysis from Enlightenment to Postmodernism

Abstract

The relationship between film art and Western aesthetic thoughts has always been a topic of deep thought in the field of humanities and cultural studies. This paper aims to explore the evolution and interaction between film art and Western aesthetic thought by analyzing the historical process from Enlightenment to postmodernism. By exploring this relationship in depth, we can better understand how film as an art form has been shaped and inspired by the aesthetic ideas of different periods. During the Enlightenment, aesthetic ideas that emphasized rationality, objectivity, and freedom had an impact on early cinema. Film became a medium that reflected human life through objectivity and authenticity and embodied the ideas of the Enlightenment. The subsequent Romanticism, with its emphasis on emotion, personal experience, and transcendence, pushed the film to further explore the possibilities of emotional expression and imagination. Realism aesthetics emphasizes the depiction of real life and leads filmmakers to turn their attention to social issues and daily life. As a mirror of society, film reflects the influence of realism on artistic creation. Impressionism and symbolism introduced the concepts of perception and metaphor in the film, which enriched the visual expression of the film. The emergence of modernism challenged the traditional forms and concepts, prompting the emergence of experimental film creation. Then, postmodernism further breaks the boundaries between narrative structure and reality, emphasizing diversity, ambiguity and ambiguity. Film, as a medium, constantly explores the visual and conceptual possibilities of postmodernist ideas. To sum up, the relationship between film art and Western aesthetic thought is a constantly changing process. This evolution process shows how aesthetic thoughts shape the aesthetic view, narrative mode and creative style of film. By studying this relationship, we gain insight into how film as an art form evolves and innovates in different aesthetic contexts.