| Research Abstract |
Rene Clair, who was once considered as one of the most representative French film directors, experienced much praise and censure through his long years career. This research reinvestigates the historical change of evaluation which arouse in French film criticism concerning Clair's work, especially in relation to his "self-reflexive" filmic conception, in order that we may clarify the significance and the boundary of "contemporariness" of the cinematic discourse.
During the Grant-in-Aid research period 2001-2002, in addition to the examination of a large number of related documents (a work with which I proceed for several years), I made two short research trips to Paris, where I engaged myself in the documentation work at Bibliotheque Nationale, Bibliotheque de l'Arsenal (which conserves "Rene Clair Archives", donated by the bereaved family), Bibliotheque du Film, etc., as well as I attended at the research viewings of some related films at such film archives as the Cinematheque francaise and the British Film Institute (London), which I visited in spring 2003.
The report I submit as the result of, this research examins Clair's films, his texts and statements, and the criticism of each film, ranging from his debut as a film director to his last years' activities, and it concludes that Clair's particularly self-reflexive film conception, which he pursued more or less distinctly throughout his career, was not always properly argued, especially by the New Wave critics and directors, whose filmic visions were otherwise very close to Clair's. This demonstrates the kind of arbitrariness inherent in any activity of cinematic discourse, and therefore permits us to relativize the "contemporariness" it might advocate.
After some additional investigations, I intend to publish the report in book form in the near future.
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