城市運轉手: 來自貝拉‧塔爾電影的啟迪

Abstract

本文是筆者的影像創作《城市轉運手》紀錄片的創作論述。以筆者過去的創作回顧為開端，從探尋時間作為創作軸心的過程中，筆者反思如何運用影像作為表達和提問的方式，並作為看見城市歷史的一個視角。透過欣賞及解析匈牙利導演貝拉‧塔爾（Béla Tarr）半紀錄片式劇情片的電影作品，筆者觀察到其電影在操作手法與主題上，呈現了真實與虛假的辯證關係，從而引發筆者以紀錄片的形式去探尋電影中真實的可能性。在主題上則扣連到貝拉‧塔爾意圖以電影引發觀者對現下環境的意識覺醒，以及以電影引發知覺的革命。回應貝拉‧塔爾的主題思想，筆者省視自身所處的環境，發現在單調而重複的日子當中，我們已然對周遭的社會問題失去警醒。筆者以「過度的都市開發究竟為人民帶來什麼？」作為思考的起點，從自幼生長的城市台中出發，循著台中舊中區的頹圮，到馬不停蹄的都市建設，重新檢視現今的國土政策到底帶來的是無限美好的希望，或者是如同歷史進步論般的虛幻假象？在影像敘事上透過老計程車司機的回憶與專家學者訪談互相交錯的方式，從觀者的集體記憶中帶出共同感受性，再運用理性的話語，希望能引發觀者透過觀看此影像作品，起而思考自己漠視已久的社會問題。

This paper is an artist statement of my documentary film “The City Driver”. During the process of finding works that contain elements of “time”, based on my past works, I reflect on myself by using images as the means of expressions and questions and as a perspective on the history of the city. By analyzing the documentary-style fiction films of the Hungarian director Béla Tarr, it was found that both the themes and manipulations of Tarr’s films exemplify that the relationship between truth and fiction are dialectical. In turn, I explore the extent to which films can be truth by experimenting with a documentary. This thesis discusses Béla Tarr’s attempt to use his films to awaken the audience’s consciousness of their own social and political environment, and the revolutions that originated from such awakenings. With Béla Tarr’s core ideology in mind, I reflect on the current environment and discover that we have lost awareness of social problems as we carry out singular and repetitive daily activities. Starting with the question, “How does over development of cities affect the people”, I examine my hometown Taichung City. I trace along the then-Central District of Taichung to today’s non-stop city developments to re-examine whether the National Land Administration policies bring hope or whether they are just an illusion, like the Idea of Progress. The scenario includes the display of a taxi driver’s memories alternating with the interviews with academics. The film first brings out common sensations from the audience’s group memories, and then comments with words. Ultimately, I hope that after watching this film, the audience would start reflecting on the social problems that they have ignored for long.