Historical approaches to AVT reception: Methods, issues and perspectives

Drawing on insights from historical film audience studies, this chapter aims to explore the role AVT has had in shaping the viewing experience of film audiences in the past, as well as the methods available to researchers for investigating AVT reception in a historical perspective. The chapter is organized into three main sections. Part 1 provides an overview of the range of studies on historical reception and AVT. It is argued that, although there has been wide and growing interest in the lived experiences of film audiences, little attention has been paid to translation and its implication for the reception of films and television products. In Part 2, selected studies conducted by film and AVT scholars are reported to explore how the issue of translation has affected the reception of films as well as the movie-going experience in different cultural contexts and in reference to different translation modes. Part 3 deals with theories, methods and research practices, looking at the vast array of empirical methods that have been employed in historical reception studies. Research methods based on classical sources such as press reviews, interviews, and articles are here illustrated, highlighting their potential and limitations compared to other methodologies. Studies dealing with different research approaches are reported to show how existing methods can be used in historical research and to consider whether new approaches can be devised.