Acousmêtrie - On the Relationship between Voice and Image in the Films of Chris Marker
Michael Wetzel

Chris Marker himself is often quoted with a remark from «Sans soleil,» made by the character of Yamaneko, the computer expert: images simply want to be what they are, «that is, pictures.» One can almost hear a continuance of the prejudice deeply rooted in the old paragone between the written and visual arts, which recalls the early days of the transition from silent to sound film, when it was feared that sound would detract from the intensity of visual expression. Yet in no other cineaste's work does the voice—indeed, language itself—play such an important role as it does in Chris Marker's films. [more]

The voice between commentary and correspondence The Model of Haiku (Roland Barthes' «Empire of Signs») Acoustic space of sound and voice in cinema Games of doubling Word and image Deconstruction of the acousmatic effect of power