ABSTRACT:

Boxing as a trope in cinema is nearly as old as cinema itself – the first recorded motion pictures of humans boxing date back to as early as 1891, shot by Thomas Edison on his patented Kinetograph movie camera. Since then we’ve come a long way and the boxing picture has become a staple of Hollywood storytelling and captivated audiences and filmmakers alike – the latter constantly exploring new and inventive ways to depict the spectacle of the fictional boxing match in dramatic and affective ways. The purpose of this report is to explore the camera coverage of fictional boxing matches in western cinema practices. Citing four case studies from a period spanning almost fifty years, this report will examine the camera coverage of a specific and frequent cinematic trope – the prize-fight – and trace its development alongside evolving cinema practices, technologies and audiences.

Jesse Bouma

S3815487