On criticism

[Sylvain L.]

While writing on criticism recently, I used this quote from André Bazin, a French film critic (who I feel is greatly neglected in English film writings, for lack of a worthy translation I’ve been told, although it was fixed recently). Since this definition has been quite useful for me (and still is), I thought I could share it here to start a topic about criticism, in general terms, like how do you envision your role as a critic, your relation towards the readers, or what makes good criticism, etc.I know it’s quite a large subject, but let’s try it anyway, if you will.

Here Bazin is talking about film criticism, but it can certainly apply to any kind of criticism, videogames included:

 

“Truth in criticism isn’t defined by some exactness, measurable and objective, but first and foremost by the intellectual excitement induced in the reader: its quality and amplitude. The critic’s role isn’t to bring on a silver plate a truth that doesn’t exist, but to prolong as far as possible in the intelligence and the sensibility of those who read him, the impact of the artwork.”

[Cameron Kunzelman]

This isn't responding to your point, but Bazin is anything but neglected in film studies. There was a response to Bazin in the 1970s in film writing where he was accused of a kind of naive realism and ignored, but the past ten years have seen a huge revival of essays on, about, and by Bazin.

[Sylvain L.]

Yeah, you're right, I wasn't clear enough: I meant to say Bazin finally got a good translation recently, so he's not neglected anymore. But still, for fifty years, he stayed at the periphery in English film studies, while he was at the center in France (and here in Quebec, but less so) since the beginning.

[John Brindle]

I love Bazin! And the war between him and the decoupage-focused formalists is an interesting parallel to game studies' own ludology-vs-narratology clusterfuck, especially given that Bazin's advocacy of the long take was essentially based on its interactivity...

And it is a good quote. I believe in 'delivering insights', to a certain extent, but enthusiasm is the best corrective for arrogance.