Where to Watch The Society of the Spectacle (1974) in the US

What it's about

Guy Debord's landmark cinematic analysis of consumer society is based on his influential sociological book "La société du spectacle" (1967). Debord was a leading member of the avant-garde art movement 'Situationist International'. This cinematic essay uses their method of 'détournement' to decontextualize and rearrange preexisting audiovisual materials and texts to critizise them and create new meaning. The result is a subversive collage of ideological (moving) images from socialist and capitalist societies that are presented here as artefacts of a global media 'spectacle': Social relations between people are mediated by artificial images and false representations that transform humans into mere passive consumers and 'spectators' of their alienated existence. Guy Debord's motivation was to create a radical social critique and a disruptive, anti-illusionist cinema as an antidote and revolutionary tool against the dominant cultural and sociopolitical forces of his time.

Cast and crew

Director

Guy Debord

Writer

Guy Debord, August von Cieszkowski, Karl Marx

Starring

Guy Debord, Alice Becker-Ho, Lee Harvey Oswald

Details

Release date

May 1, 1974

Language

French, English, German

Country

France

Where to Watch The Society of the Spectacle (1974) in the US — common questions

Where to watch The Society of the Spectacle in the United States?

The Society of the Spectacle is available with a subscription in the United States. Watch the movie with a subscription on OVID.

Can I stream The Society of the Spectacle or do I have to rent it in the United States?

Watch the movie with a subscription on OVID.

Can I watch The Society of the Spectacle for free in the United States?

We have not confirmed a free option for The Society of the Spectacle in the United States.