La Jetee - The Philosophy of Time Travel

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More Info Below:

Further Readings:
Cine Roman - La Jetee
Damien Cox - Philosophy and Film

Music Cue:
Spirit of Fire - Jesse Gallagher

Links:

This essay was made by William Leese.

[TheCinemathequefilms]

If you enjoy this video essay and would like to see more, please subscribe and join our cinematic community 🎬

[CuriousRobinKnows]

I have fond memories of the first time I saw this film and realized that cinema could be so much more than just commercial blockbusters. I was also surprised to see how a story that had a 30 minute runtime could have a deeper impact that many feature length films I knew then. Thank you for bringing back these memories.

[miles]

I think La Jetee actually offers a presentist vision of time travel - the body sleeps in the present, while the mind is projected into memories of the past and future, able to affect them as a projection, and present in them as part of the memory-record of the past. He is within his own childhood memories of that moment as an adult because he projected himself there; rather than being unable to prevent his own death because of determinism, he remembers his own death because of presentism.

[connecting_flight]

Thank you. I just rewatched 12 Monkeys, and this video helped me clarify quite a few things I couldn't seem to wrap my head around, or simply had blindspots regarding. What a lovely source of quotation this little movie seems to be. Very moving, unique.

[TaintsVidsInc]

You really helped me with a presentation on this film. Thank you

[jojotovar]

This is a way clearer explanation thank you for this

[torinomilano]

Très bel essai sur ce métafilm extraordinaire de Chris Maker qui n'a pas cessé d'influencer artistes, poètes et cinéastes !

[ernestocaro]

EXCELLENT video!!! You’ve got a new subscriber here pal.

[D_Andrew_G]

Definitely a fantastic creative decision on how he portrays time travel logic. But is it this creative decision that’s make the film great or should it be story writing, acting, cinematography etc.
Sorry if a dumb question.

[jnmck]

In addition to McTaggart, folks might try time traveling with Benjamin, Heidegger, Johan Fabian, ie the history of Western and non-Western models of time. Borges' "A New Refutation of Time" is an oldie but goodie.

[Shark-pjin]

To be time travel into the past is impossible.. only the future

[Heaven]

È una metafora del mito di Edipo. La donna che si vede da piccolo è la madre e tornare indietro nel tempo da grandi per stare con lei è il desiderio di stare per sempre con la madre giovane.

[Alexander_of_Macedon]

For those interested, I uploaded the film on my youtube channel.
Full film link:

Thank you!

[MarcoSabatinoFilm]

i follow your channel it's an inspiration to create experiment of my videos

[PaulMartin-ce]

Life the journey through time P. Martin 2024

[alexzip]

love this film and love the video, but please buy a pop filter

[convolution]

I prefer my own interpretation. This is a very shallow look at just time travel when the story is much deeper than just the thin plot construction you analyzed

[forestray]

This is just flat out wrong. For this interpretation to be correct, you have to ignore the fact that he saves the human race from technology he is given by beings from the future. The future race save their own existence by interjecting into their own past. In other words, La Jetee very much has the grandfather paradox built into its narrative. I don't know why you would entirely ignore that aspect of the story, unless you were just trying to fit the film to your interpretation and not the other way around.