How does Walter Benjamin's concept of the 'aura' apply to film adaptation studies?

Correct answer: The original artwork's unique existence, which film's mechanical reproduction alters

Walter Benjamin argued that unique artworks possess an 'aura' tied to their singular presence in time and space. When applied to adaptation, the source novel often carries this traditional artistic aura, while a film adaptation is an act of mass mechanical reproduction. Rather than seeing this as a loss, modern critics note that film democratization breaks down traditional cultural hierarchies, allowing the narrative to expand into new cultural spaces.