Talk to Her / Edition 1

by A. W. Eaton

Overview

Pedro Almodóvar is one of the most renowned film directors of recent years. Talk to Her is one of the most discussed and controversial of all his films. Dealing principally with the issue of rape, it also offers profound insights into the nature of love and friendship whilst raising important philosophical and moral questions in unsettling and often paradoxical ways.

This is the first book to explore and address the philosophical aspects of Almodóvar’s film. Opening with a helpful introduction by Noël Carroll that places the film in context, specially commissioned chapters examine the following topics:

 
• The relationship between art and morality and the problem of 'immoralism'
• Moral injury and its role in the way we form moral judgments, including the ethics of love and friendship
• The nature of dialogue, sexual objectification and what 'listening to' means in the context of gender
• Almodóvar's use of allusion and the unmasking of appearances to explore hidden themes in human nature.
 

Including a biography of Almodóvar, Talk to Her is essential reading for students interested in philosophy and film as well as ethics and gender. It is also provides an accessible and informative insight into philosophy for those in related disciplines such as film studies, literature and religion.

Contributors: Noël Carroll, A. W. Eaton, Cynthia Freeland, Robert B. Pippin, C.D.C. Reeve, and George M. Wilson

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415773676
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/31/2008
Series:	Philosophers on Film , #2
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

A.W. Eaton is Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has published articles on the relationship between ethics and aesthetics, pornography, and feminist aesthetics.

Table of Contents

Talk to Them: An Introduction Noël Carroll 1. Rapport, Rupture, and Rape: Reflections on Talk to Her George Wilson 2. Almodóvar’s Immoralism A. W. Eaton 3. Devils and Angels in Almodóvar’s Talk to Her Robert Pippin 4. Nothing Is Simple Cynthia Freeland 5. A Celémin of Shit: Comedy and Deception in Almodóvar’s Talk to Her C.D.C. Reeve

Editorial Reviews

'A collection of clear, concise and highly readable essays devoted to the exploration of Almodóvar’s provocative film, providing not only an outstanding introduction to the film itself but also an examination of the many philosophical questions that it serves to raise. This book is a welcome addition to the literature on philosophy and film, and will provide a superb resource for those studying in this field.' – Christopher Falzon, The University of Newcastle, Australia

'These are insightful essays about a deeply disturbing film that challenges our ordinary presumptions concerning morality, art, love, gender, and appearance. The line-up of writers is first-rate.' – Daniel Flory, Montana State University, USA

From the Publisher