Turkish Horror Cinema in the Reproduction and Dissemination of Popular Religion

Abstract

Mass media have an important role in producing and popularizing popular culture. Cinema, one of the mass media, can be effective in the reproduction and dissemination of both popular culture and popular religion and piety. In this article, Turkish horror films are discussed in the context of popular religion. After the 2000s, it has been observed that Turkish horror films on the theme of magic, genie, and devil have been increasing. Some films produced in this area are attracting great attention. In these films, there are elements of beliefs that are not commonly accepted in the religion of Islam, especially the belief of invisible creatures and beliefs that are common in popular religion. Considering only the names of these films with considerable audience, it can be understood that religious elements and Turkish horror cinema were brought side by side. In these films, it is important to examine how religious elements are included, what meanings they are attributed to, and in general which religion horror film is used by this Turkish cinema.
In the context of popular religiosity, this article addresses the following questions: What are the elements of popular religiosity in Turkish horror films? In Turkish horror films, how are the beings such as gin and demon shown? How do religious elements take place in Turkish horror cinema? What kind of religiousness is spread in Turkish horror cinema?
The aim of this article is to show how religion and religious elements take place in the Turkish horror films that were released after 2000’s and which religious concepts these films are based on. In other words, the aim of the study is to determine what kind of religious belief and religiosity are produced and disseminated in the horror cinema, to show how the location of the supernatural beings which are shown as the source of fear and their place in the religious beliefs in the films. The article is important in understanding how religion takes place in Turkish horror films and how it pays for religiousness and how it contributes to religiosity. When asked to put forward the religious factor appears to be the influence of religious beliefs in Turkey should also be considered.
In this article, selected films were subjected to descriptive analysis. The data were categorized according to previously determined questions and deduced. In the qualitative analysis method, the data can be arranged according to the themes raised by the research questions or by considering the questions or dimensions used in the interview and observation stages. A thematic framework was created by asking questions to the films, and the data obtained were defined and processed according to this framework. The following questions were directed to the films:
I. What are the assets used as fear elements in films and how are they depicted?
II. What are the causes of fear and bad events and who is affected by these events?
III. How to try to escape the evil, bad events?
IV. How are religious items presented in horror cinema?
V. What is the message with the intention of fear element?
VII. What superstition beliefs are included in horror films?
In the type of horror movies directed in Turkey have increased after the 2000s. The films produced in this area have leaned on the popular religion / folk When universal religions meet with different societies, they do not omit such societies’ traditional thoughts, cultures and beliefs in a moment. In time, while some beliefs and practices are abandoned and forgotten, traditional beliefs continue to exist in harmony with the new religion.
Popular religiosity is mostly fed by fear, evil and myth. People are prone to popular religiosity and participate in rituals related to disasters and illnesses, to protect themselves from the harassment of supernatural beings, to be sure of evils, to achieve a secular set of ambitions. Beliefs and practices such as magic and amulets also play an important role in popular religiousness.
A closer look at the Turkish horror cinema shows that popular beliefs are widely used. In most of the films that appear in this field, supernatural beings such as gin and Satan are very different from the narratives in the basic sources of Islam but are presented in accordance with popular belief. In these films, these assets are given much more detailed information than the information given in the relevant religious texts and these assets are shown to be stronger than they are. The existence and influence of magic are also approved by Qur’an and important narrations about this subject can be found in there.
Besides in Turkish horror cinema, it is given the impression that such films are resting on a religious ground by reminding the verses and narratives related to it.
However, the influence of magic on films is overrated and such films use magical beliefs appropriately. Thus, Turkish horror cinema plays an important role in the reproduction and popularization of popular piety by literally replacing the oral narratives in society.
Millions of viewers of this genre films find audiences, to be followed with a great sense of appreciation that popular religiosity in Turkish society and demonstrate that continue to exist as a reality. As a result, we can say that because of the contact of the religion with society, it occurs a perception of religion and piety differ from the official religion with the influence of the culture and tradition of the society in question. This interpretation of religion rests on the problem of evil and fear. Religious elements in this perception of religion are positioned differently than they should be. Turkish horror cinema is both based on this popular religiosity and it is effective in reproducing and spreading this belief with its element of evil and fear.

Popüler Dinin Yeniden Üretilmesinde ve Yaygınlaştırılmasında Türk Korku Sineması

Abstract

Türkiye’de 2000’li yılların başından itibaren büyü, cin, şeytan konulu Türk korku filmlerinde artış gözlemlenmektedir. Bu filmlerde genel olarak İslâmiyet’te de kabul edilen görülmeyen varlıklarla ilgili inanca ve popüler dindarlıkta rastlayabildiğimiz diğer inanışlara ait ögeler bulunmaktadır. Diğer bir ifade ile Türk korku sinemasında kitabî din ile popüler din bir araya gelmektedir. Bu çalışmada Türk korku sineması popüler din perspektifinde incelenmektedir. Dinî ögelerin bu tür filmlerde nasıl sunulduğu ve konumlandırıldığı, Türk korku sinemasının nasıl bir dindarlık anlayışından beslendiği ve hangi din anlayışını yaydığı çalışmanın problemlerini teşkil etmektedir. Makale dinî unsurların Türk korku sinemasında nasıl yer aldığını ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma Türk korku sinemasında dine nasıl yer verildiğinin anlaşılması bakımından önem taşımaktadır. Çalışma için bu tarz Türk korku sinemasından yedi film rastgele örneklem yöntemi ile seçilip izlenmiş ve filmler belirli sorular çerçevesinde betimsel analize tabi tutulmuştur.
Türk korku filmlerinde geleneksel Türk kültürü ile İslâmî ögeler harmanlanmaktadır. Türk korku sinemasında Türk toplumunun aşina olduğu hem eski Türk inanışlarına ait ögeler ve hem de yüzeysel olarak kitabî dine ait İslâmî içerikler ve korku motifleri sentezlenerek izleyiciye sunulmaktadır. Bu bakımdan Türk korku sineması popüler dindarlığın yeniden inşasında ve toplumda yayılmasında rol üstlenmektedir. Popüler dindarlık daha çok korkudan, kötülükler, felaketler ve efsanelerden beslenir. Hastalık, musibet, ölüm korkusu veya bireyin bu tür olaylar karşısında çaresizliği kişiyi popüler dindarlığa sevk etmektedir. Türk korku sineması cin, şeytan, büyü ve dinî ögeleri, kötü, korkutucu olaylar ve mitler eşliğinde seyirciye aktararak popüler dindarlığı pekiştirmektedir.

Keywords

• Din Sosyolojisi,Türk Korku Sineması,Halk Dindarlığı,Popüler Dindarlık,Halk Dindarlığı

References

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