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Multimodal Argumentation and Rhetoric in Media Genres
Edited by Assimakis Tseronis and Charles Forceville
[Argumentation in Context 14] 2017
► pp. 165–188

Chapter 6
The argumentative relevance of visual and multimodal antithesis in Frederick Wiseman’s documentaries

In this chapter we argue that certain salient contrasts that Frederick Wiseman presents non-verbally and multimodally in his Direct Cinema documentaries can be understood as antitheses that play an argumentative role. In this type of documentary, which renounces the use of voice-over narration and music, a filmmaker has to rely on cinematography and editing in combination with participants’ spoken language to guide viewers’ interpretations. We argue that the ways in which certain sequences and shots are filmed and edited as well as the way dialogue, image, and sound combine within the shot create multimodal meanings that can be accounted for in terms of antithesis and can thereby contribute to the argument developed by the filmmaker. We focus on instances of visual and multimodal antithesis in five of Wiseman’s early films (Titicut Follies, High School, Hospital, Juvenile Court, and Primate) and one later film (Zoo).

Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Antithesis in language and film
  • 3.The argumentative relevance of antithesis
  • 4.Documentary film as multimodal argumentation
  • 5.Visual and multimodal antithesis in Frederick Wiseman’s documentaries
    • 5.1Antithesis between sequences
    • 5.2Antithesis between shots
    • 5.3Antithesis within the shot
    • 5.4Sustained antithesis in Zoo (1993)
  • 6.Concluding remarks
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
  • List of films
Published online: 20 December 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/aic.14.07tse
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List of films

King, A.
(Director) (1969) A Married couple.Google Scholar
Riggs, M.
(Director) (1994) Black is, Black ain’t.Google Scholar
Wiseman, F.
(Director) (1967) Titicut Follies.Google Scholar
(Director) (1968) High School.Google Scholar
(Director) (1969) Hospital.Google Scholar
(Director) (1973) Juvenile Court.Google Scholar
(Director) (1974) Primate.Google Scholar
(Director) (1993) Zoo.Google Scholar
Wright, B.
(Director) (1937) Children at School.Google Scholar
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