Arnheim on the perception of moving images

The most eminent feature of Arnheim's theory of film is the author's sceptical view of sound film ("the introduction of the sound film smashed many of the forms that the film artists were using in favour of the intrinsic demand for the greatest possible ?naturalness''; 1957, p. 154). Instead of discussing dimensions of this ?anachronism', the present paper focuses on an elementof Arnheim's theory that is still relevant: the perception of moving images. Arnheim stressed that the movement of objects (not least: the moving human body) — besides being expressive — is essential for the viewer's impression of three-dimensional space. As for the movement of the camera, Arnheim explained why it tends to produce disorientation and dizziness (which may sometimes be an intended effect). These insights contradict the still widespread mystification of camera movements as the core of the movie experience (cf. Gibson, 1982; Bordwell, 2001). unknown unknown