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TRANSFORMATION OF THE VILLAIN IN HOLLYWOOD

Year 2018, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 429 - 449, 29.12.2018

Abstract

All
kinds of films, from animation to comedy, live on conflict: the conflict
between the good and the bad, the old and the new, or between other elements
enhances humorous aspects in a comedy whereas the tension in a thriller. Film
scenario would neither flow without the element of conflict nor can audience
expectation be kept alive. For this reason, villains are required in films as
much as heroes. “Villain”, existing since the birth of film, has constantly
been in a struggle with the hero. In this fight, sometimes the hero and
sometimes the villain seem to be winning. “Villains” are also based on a broad
scale; some villains are like that by birth, some become villains due to the
conditions, some like being bad, and some just cannot inhibit their instincts.
No matter which type, in classical Hollywood narrative cinema – and in Turkish
cinema that copied its basic structure from the former – the villain is
condemned to lose. However, the weight of the villain in the film has been
changing as an increasing trend since the 1960s; sometimes the characters
selected as villains are pictured as the protagonists of the film and sometimes
they defeat the good and win. Two reasons are pointed out for this increasing
trend: the first one is the moderation regarding censorship laws and the second
is the transformation in the expectation of the audience. The answer sought by
this study is to the question of which one of these two reasons affect the
other to what extent.



In
the study, the transformation of censorship laws since the birth of film is
being analyzed specifically within Hollywood, which uses state of the art
technology in film production industry, has a leading role in influencing the
development of world cinema in addition to having by far the greatest number of
audience on a global scale, and also this important transformation observed in
villains is being examined. As an example to this transformation, for both its
outstanding revenue and the shocking eccentricity of the villain portrait it
draws, The Dark Knight (2008) will be
discussed and interpreted in detailed analysis within the framework of the subject.

References

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Year 2018, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 429 - 449, 29.12.2018

Abstract

References

  • BAUMAN, Zygmunt, Postmodern Etik, Alev Türker (Trans.), İstanbul, Ayrıntı Yayınları, 2011.
  • BAUDRILLARD, Jean, Kötülüğün Şeffaflığı, Işık Ergüden (Trans.), İstanbul, Ayrıntı Yayınları, 2012.
  • CİVAN, Celil: “Karanlık… Daha Karanlık Bir Batman”, Retreived December 28, 2014 from http://www.kafaayari.com/?p=306
  • BERGSON, Henry, Dinin ve Ahlakın İki Kaynağı, Mahmut Özdil (Trans.), İstanbul, Sayfa Yayınları, 2009.
  • ELIADE, Mircae, Dinsel İnançlar ve Düşünceler Tarihi, Ali Berktay (Trans.), İstanbul, Kabalcı Yayınları, 2012.
  • ERCİVAN, Ali: “Uzak, Çok Uzak Bir Galakside Bir Türk”, Retreived December 20, 2014 from http://www.beyazperde.com/filmler/film-58579/elestiriler-beyazperde/
  • GELİR, Rıdvan: Mevlana’nın Mesnevi’sinde Kötülük Problemi, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Felsefe ve Dini Bilimler Anabilim Dalı, Yüksek Lisans Tezi, 2008.
  • INDICK, William: Senaryo Yazarları İçin Psikoloji, Yeliz Taşkan & Ertan Yılmaz (Trans), İstanbul, +1 Kitap, 2007.
  • KANT, Immanuel, Critique of Practical Reason, Werner S. Pluhar (Trans.), USA, Hackett Publishing, 2002.
  • KOCABAŞ, Vicdan Hilal: Mevlana’nın Mesnevi’sinde Kötülük Problemi, İzmir Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Felsefe ve Din Bilimleri Anabilim Dalı, Yüksek Lisans Tezi, 2010.
  • Kuran-ı Kerim meali, Ali Bulaç (Trans.), İstanbul, Çıra Yayınları, 2013.
  • LEITCH, Thomas: Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film, cilt 1, ABD, Thomson Gale Publishing 2007.
  • LEITCH, Thomas: Crime Films: Genres in American Cinema, İngiltere, Cambridge University Press, 2004.
  • LICHTENFELD, Eric: Action Speaks Louder: Violence, Spectacle, and the American Movie, ABD, Weslayan University Press, 2007.
  • LYDEN, John C.: Myths, Morals and Rituals: Film as Religion, ABD, New York University Press, 2003.
  • MALONE Aubrey: Censoring Hollywood Sex and Violence in Films ABD, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers 2011.
  • NEIMAN, Susan, Modern Düşüncede Kötülük, Ayhan Sargüney (Trans.), İstanbul, Ayrıntı Yayınları, 2006.
  • NOWELL-SMITH, Geoffrey: Dünya Sinema Tarihi, Ahmet Fethi (Trans.), İstanbul, Kabalcı Yayınları, 2003.
  • RAFTER, Nicole, Michelle Brown: Criminology Goes to the Movies: Crime Theory and Movies, ABD, New York University Press, 2011.
  • ROLOFF, Bernhard; Georg SeeBlen: Cinayet Sineması: Polisiye Sinemasının Tarihi ve Mitolojisi, Süheyla & Saliha N. Kaya (Trans.), İstanbul, Alan Yayıncılık, 1997.
  • SEMELIN, Jacques, Purify and Destroy: The Political Uses of Massacre and Genocide C. Schoch (Trans.). New York City, California University Press, 2009.
  • SENNET, Richard, Ten ve Taş T. Birkan (Trans.), İstanbul, Metis Yayınları, 1999.
  • TEKSOY, Rekin: Rekin Teksoy’un Sinema Tarihi, 2. Basım, İstanbul, Oğlak Yayınları, 2005.
  • WHITE, Mark D., ARP, Robert (Eds.): Batman and Philosophy, The Dark Knight of the Soul, USA, Wiley Publishing, 2008.
  • Kara Şövalye. (n.d.). Retrevied December 28, 2014 from Beyazperde: http://www.beyazperde.com/filmler/film-115362/
  • Motion Picture Production Code. (n.d.). Retreived December 28, 2014 from Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Production_Code
  • Rita. (n.d.). Gerçekleri hatırlatan bir Yılmaz Erdoğan yazısı. Retreived December 28, 2014 from http://www.hukuki.net/showthread.php?10311-Gercekleri-hatirlatan-bir-Yilmaz-Erdogan-yazisi
  • Şahane Hayat. (n.d.). Retrevied December 28, 2014 from Vikipedi Özgür Ansiklopedi: http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Şahane_HayatWicked Witch of the West. (n.d.). Retreived December 28, 2014 from Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_Witch_of_the_West
There are 28 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Review
Authors

Şükrü Sim 0000-0003-3579-6750

Publication Date December 29, 2018
Submission Date November 30, 2018
Acceptance Date December 9, 2018
Published in Issue Year 2018 Volume: 4 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Sim, Ş. (2018). TRANSFORMATION OF THE VILLAIN IN HOLLYWOOD. Uluslararası Kültürel Ve Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 4(2), 429-449.

 International Journal of Cultural and Social Studies