THE DIALECTIC

This chapter considers key concepts of Brecht's political philosophy and theory that can clarify his central representational principles and their interrelationship. My ultimate aim is to go beyond a strictly formal understanding of his political aesthetics and uncover the interrelationship between form and the dialectical method. In doing so, I call for a renewed critical appreciation of his work that can provide a fresh perspective on his contribution to film theory and cinema. I begin by exploring key concepts in Brechtian theory and how they can open a way towards thinking about cinema and politics. Consistent with Brecht's idea that theory cannot be separated from practice, I provide examples from films that can help us understand his theoretical formulations in film practice. I then explore how key Brechtian concepts, such as the Gestus, can be productively understood in dialogue with contemporary film and media theory. As such, I intend to demonstrate the theoretical relevance of Brecht in contemporary debates. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the dialectics of humour, something that has been ignored by previous film analyses of Brecht and film theory.

One of the main and most complex features of Brecht's commitment to a politicisation of representation was his firm conviction that the world needs to be represented dialectically. In other words, one should present the everyday reality in its contradictions so that the world is not taken for granted by the audience, but shown as subject to change. Such an approach enables an understanding of the present reality not as ‘natural’ and unchangeable, but as the product of specific historical and social relationships. For Brecht, the dialectical method is a sine qua non condition for allowing one to comprehend that the existing state of things is the product of a series of social interconnections, and not a permanent/unchangeable reality. Social processes derive from human actions which are the key to historical development. Accordingly, different historical and social conditions produce oppositions that pose challenges to the current reality and generate new social situations.