Khrenov, N. A. The Project of Semiotics of Cinema Several Decades Later: Interpretation of Sergei Mikhailovich Eizenshtein’s Theoretical Heritage by Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov

Abstract: The article is devoted to the semiotic interpretation of the theoretic heritage of a film director Sergey Eizenshtein by Vyacheslav Ivanov whose jubilee was celebrated this year. Sergey Eizenshtein foresaw the structural methodology that became so popular after the 60s. Vyacheslav Inavov has a wide range of academic interests. The present article is devoted only to his interest towards cinematograph, in particular, the theoretic heritage of a film director Sergey Eizenshtein. Vyacheslav Ivanov is interested in Eizenshtein because Vyacheslav Ivanov believes that Eizenshtein tended to see cinema as a language or, more specifically, a sign system. Vyacheslav Ivanov couldn’t have left it without attention because the formation of semiotic methodology is closely related to Eizenshtein in Russia. So it is quite natural that Vyacheslav Ivanov wanted to interpret the pre-history of semiotics, too. In cinematograph such pre-history is directly related to Sergey Eizenshtein. Trying to clarity the significance of Vyacheslav Ivanov’s research of Sergey Eizenshtein’s esthetics, the author of the present article also touches upon applying semiotic methodology to cinematograph as a sign system in general. For this purpose, the author describes the atmosphere of those times when Russian theorists of cinematograph were interested in semiotics. However, interest towards structuralism and semiotics started to fade away decades later when new approaches related to pot-structuralism and post-modernism were introduced by the humanities. Some theorists started to speak against semiotic approaches and suggested to apply philosophical and, in particular, phenomenological approach to studying cinematographic art. These approaches are appropriate and efficient, however, they do not replace the semiotic approach. The author of the article shows that such attempts to refuse from the semiotic approach to cinematograph were too early and superficial. Vyacheslav Ivanov’s works on cinematograph are a great source that proves the efficiency of the philosophical approach. In particular, Vyacheslav Ivanov’s book ‘Eizenshtein’s Esthetics’ is devoted to this topic. Interpreting the meaning of the title, the author of the present article shows that the concept of semiotics was already created at the initial stage of the development of esthetics as a branch of philosophy.

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