Before Story: The Power of Spectacle
“The Cinema of Attractions” is a highly influential term coined by film scholar Tom Gunning to describe the nature of cinema in its earliest years, roughly from 1895 to 1906. Gunning argues that before cinema became dominated by narrative storytelling, its primary impulse was exhibitionist—its goal was simply to show something astonishing to an audience. These early films were less concerned with developing characters or complex plots and more focused on presenting a series of visual marvels, or “attractions,” that elicited a direct, visceral response of shock, thrill, or wonder.
The Direct Address to the Audience
According to Gunning, this early mode of filmmaking did not try to create a self-contained fictional world. Instead, it directly addressed the spectator, acknowledging their presence. Think of a magician on stage who winks at the audience. The thrill of the Lumière brothers’ Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (1896) was not its story, but the spectacular illusion of a train seemingly hurtling toward the viewer. The magic of Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon (1902) lay not in its narrative depth but in its succession of magical tricks and fantastical visuals.
From Vaudeville to Cinema
This cinematic mode was heavily influenced by the fairground and vaudeville traditions from which it emerged. Early film screenings were often part of a larger bill of entertainment, alongside acrobats, comedians, and freak shows. Each act was an attraction, and cinema was simply the newest, most technologically amazing attraction on offer.
The Modern Cinema of Attractions
Gunning argues that the Cinema of Attractions never truly disappeared; it just went underground, re-emerging in certain genres. He suggests that the modern, special-effects-driven blockbuster represents a triumphant return of this early cinematic mode. In many action, sci-fi, and superhero films, the narrative often serves as a thin framework to connect a series of spectacular set pieces—massive explosions, elaborate CGI sequences, and thrilling chases. The primary pleasure for the audience is not following a story, but experiencing a visceral, adrenaline-fueled spectacle. In this sense, a director like Michael Bay can be seen as a modern-day Georges Méliès.