The purpose of this study was to look at black comedy as the generic language of choice in depicting qualities of reflective nostalgia, in the context of Yugoslavia's break-up and as present in the films of Srdjan Dragojevic.
The key theoretical foundations of this study were found in Svetlana Boym's (2001) distinction of nostalgia-building efforts and sentiments, as well as in Juan F. Egea's (2013) research on the presence of dark humor in the Spanish comedies of the post- Franco era. Based on insights gained, a textual analysis of four of Dragojevic's films (Pretty Village Pretty Flame (1996); The Wounds (1998); The Parade (2011); and Holidays in the Sun (2014)) was conducted, as means of identifying and investigating the main filmic devices that Dragojevic employed in expressing one (nostalgia) through the other (black comedy).
Tools such as character caricaturizations, shot-framing, presence of mockumentarized content, and the selection and use of musical choices were employed as factors of analysis. Although thematically and chronologically (i.e. the time of production) different, the films were all found to represent such common features, further enhancing the idea that black comedy's potentialities for expressing nostalgic feeling are broad in nature and form of expression – as well as valid in inspiring future research on the topic.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Problem Statement
The Films
Relevance of the Study
Theoretical Framework
Nostalgia for What?
The Two Nostalgias
Restorative Nostalgia
Reflective Nostalgia
Black Comedy - the Genre of Imagined Communities
Methodology
Structure of Analysis
Caricaturized Characters – Born of War
The Camera Speaks – Framing the Context
Mockumentary Miniatures – Spoofing News Broadcasts
The Songs Speak – Mirroring with the Music
Discussion
Final Remarks
Potential for Future Research
Research Objectives & Key Themes
This thesis examines black comedy as a generic tool used to express reflective nostalgia within Srdjan Dragojevic’s films, specifically analyzing how these films navigate the historical context of the dissolution of Yugoslavia and its aftermath. By applying Svetlana Boym’s framework of restorative versus reflective nostalgia, the study investigates how Dragojevic utilizes dark humor to deconstruct nationalistic myths and explore collective memory.
- The intersection of black comedy and reflective nostalgia in post-Yugoslav cinema.
- Textual analysis of four key films: Pretty Village, Pretty Flame, The Wounds, The Parade, and Holidays in the Sun.
- Filmic devices including character caricaturization, framing, mockumentary elements, and musical choices.
- The role of "imagined communities" in defining national identity through film.
- The evolution of nostalgic representations from confrontation to re-unification themes.
Excerpt from the Book
Caricaturized Characters – Born of War
The scene (and film) opens with a series of close-ups of a man’s body while he is singing under the shower. From one lingering shot to another, as the water runs down his body and uncovers the soaped up areas, we see the following tattoos: one representing the Yugoslav National Army (“JNA”), then the portrait of Draza Mihajlovic (the leader of Chetniks from WWII), then a scarred one with the inscription “Srbinje ‘93” (the town in Bosnia where a bloody battle occurred during the break-up of Yugoslavia in the nineties), and then another one that symbolizes a Serbian paramilitary organization. In the following scene, we see the same man – still cheerfully singing, and wearing a white bathrobe with an oversized Serbian Coat of Arms emblazoned across his back – as he walks down a hallway lined up with Orthodox icons and hunting trophies, crossing himself in front of the icons, before the camera cuts to him descending a flight of stairs to the lower floor where the walls are heavily adorned with war-time photographs, memorabilia and equipment (uniforms, weapons, flags, etc). This sequence ends with the man walking past these items, stopping for a second to casually take a cigarette out of a bullet cartridge that’s hanging on the wall, and leaving the frame for the film’s title to be displayed over it in a pink font – The Parade.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the research focus on Srdjan Dragojevic’s authorship and the thematic investigation of nostalgic attitudes in his films regarding the break-up of Yugoslavia.
Theoretical Framework: Defines the core concepts of Yugoslav nostalgia, Svetlana Boym’s distinction between restorative and reflective nostalgia, and Anderson’s theory of imagined communities.
Methodology: Establishes the analytical approach for the four films, categorizing elements into character caricaturization, visual framing, mockumentary devices, and musical usage.
Discussion: Synthesizes the analysis, linking the use of black comedy to the production of reflective nostalgia and identifying directions for potential future research in regional cinema.
Keywords
Yugoslavia, Srdjan Dragojevic, Black Comedy, Reflective Nostalgia, Restorative Nostalgia, Film Theory, Caricaturization, Imagined Communities, Collective Memory, National Identity, Balkan Cinema, War Aftermath, Media Representations, Symbolic Framing, Mockumentary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research explores how the genre of black comedy serves as a language for expressing reflective nostalgia in the films of Srdjan Dragojevic, focusing on the context of the Yugoslav break-up.
What are the primary themes analyzed in the study?
Central themes include the distinction between restorative and reflective nostalgia, the use of filmic devices to subvert nationalistic narratives, and the impact of the former country's dissolution on collective identity.
What is the ultimate goal of this thesis?
The goal is to demonstrate how Dragojevic uses darkly humorous tropes and caricaturization to move beyond rigid, restorative nostalgic scripts toward a more ironic, reflective understanding of the past.
Which methodology is employed in the analysis?
The author performs a textual analysis of four specific films, investigating recurring symbolic patterns, character types, and stylistic choices that facilitate reflective nostalgia.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The body analyzes the films through four specific lenses: caricaturized characters, the use of visual framing, the incorporation of mockumentary segments, and the symbolic application of music.
Which specific films by Dragojevic are analyzed?
The films analyzed are Pretty Village, Pretty Flame (1996), The Wounds (1998), The Parade (2011), and Holidays in the Sun (2014).
How does the author interpret the use of "Lino" cereal in The Parade?
The author views the prominent placement of this Croatian brand in the home of a Serbian nationalist as an intentional irony, highlighting the hypocrisy inherent in nationalist identity.
What is the significance of the "Last Supper" framing in Holidays in the Sun?
This framing is interpreted as an ironic commentary on how the religious differences that contributed to the initial break-up of Yugoslavia have been replaced by a new, unifying "religion" of capitalism.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Savo Bojovic (Autor:in), 2019, Crying of Laughter. Black Comedy as the Generic Language of Reflective Nostalgia in Srdjan Dragojević's Films, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/535759
