From the Aesthetics of Hope to Crisis Aesthetics : The Philosophical Film and Art Theory of Jenő Király

Abstract

Jenő Király created a unique, unparalleled, and unprecedented film aesthetic. The outstanding result of this period was the description of the movement between cultural spheres, locating the place of popular culture and its emancipation. In his second artistic period, he created a collective philosophical art theory that fits into the framework of general anthropology, which originally stemmed from films. This period, most strongly influenced by psychoanalytic theories, develops a film analysis that transcends conventional film studies and explores the “deeper layers”. This illustrates a personal, societal, and even evolutionary crisis, thus, the philosophical stance of his second period is characterised by anthropological traits and his approach to aesthetics through metaphysical influences (crisis aesthetics). Both periods present the crucial role of critical intellect, whose principal motivation is to warn, teach and better humanity. The present study aims to highlight leading ideas and provide an overarching perspective of Király’s unprecedented work on film aesthetics and also hopes to encourage a critical discourse regarding it.