Der Begriff „grotesk“ bezieht sich auf die Theorie des Karnival des russischen
Akademikers Michail Bachtin, der mittelalterliche Volkskultur und seine
Manifestationen in Literatur und Gesellschaft untersuchte. In seiner Studie
Rabelais and His World (1968) argumentiert Bachtin, dass die Befreiung „from
conventions and established truths“(Bachtin, in Danow, 1995, 34) während
des sozialen Ereignisses des Karnival in einer Inversion der sozialen
Strukturen und hegemonischen Kodes resultiert, womit eine Kritik an der
existierenden sozialen Ordnung ausgedrückt wird.
Diese Theorie des Grotesken ist in der Literatur- und Filmwissenschaft
zur Anwendung gekommen, da es dominante Repräsentationen von sozialen,
politischen und gesellschaftlichen Sturkturen umkehrt und unterminiert.
Innerhalb eines australischen Kontextes argumentiere ich, dass Filme wie
Sweetie (Jane Campion, 1989), Muriel’s Wedding (P.J. Hogan, 1994), The
Adventures of Priscilla – Queen of the Desert (Stephen Elliott, 1994), Metal Skin
(Geoffrey Wright, 1995), Chopper (Andrew Domenik, 1999) oder The Castle
(Robert Sitch, 1997) typisch australische Filme sind, da sie das Element des
Grotesken als einen definierenden „aesthetic and thematic trend“ (Rayner,
2000, 21) verwenden und sich so von den konventionellen Normen
Hollywoods absetzen. Die Figur des Grotesken ist also nicht nur ein visuelles
und narratives Stilelement, sondern auch ein dominantes und definierendes
Merkmal in der australischen Filmlandschaft.
Die Identifikation des Grotesken als gemeinsames Merkmal populärer
australischer Langfilme kann weiterführend als Beitrag zur Diskussion über
ein Australian National Cinema und seine identitätsstiftende Wirkung
verwendet werden.
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Theorising Australian Cinema
2.1 Australian Cinema before the 1990s
2.2 Contemporary Australian Cinema
2.3 Making a National Cinema
3 Theorising the Grotesque
3.1 Bakhtin and the Theory of Carnival
3.2 Gender and the Grotesque Body
3.2.1 The Female Body
3.2.2 The Male Body
3.3 Grotesque Laughter
3.4 The Grotesque and Film
4 The Grotesque in Australian Cinema
4.1 The Grotesque Female
4.2 The Grotesque Male
4.3 The Grotesque Humour
4.4 The Grotesque Film Style
5 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the emergence of a distinct "grotesque" aesthetic in popular contemporary Australian cinema. It explores how this deviant style functions as a subversive tool to challenge mainstream Hollywood conventions and traditional gender roles, while simultaneously serving as a marker of Australian national identity.
- The theoretical application of Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept of "carnival" to film studies.
- The representation of grotesque femininity and masculinity as sites of resistance against patriarchal structures.
- The role of self-deprecating humour in constructing a unique Australian national film identity.
- The analysis of visual and narrative techniques that distance audiences from traditional escapist cinema.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Bakhtin and the Theory of Carnival
The laws, prohibitions, and restrictions that determine the structure and order of ordinary life, that is noncarnival life, are suspended during carnival: what is suspended first of all is hierarchical structure and all forms of terror, reverence, piety, and etiquette connected with it – that is everything resulting from sociohierarchical inequality or any other form of inequality among people. (Bakhtin, 1984, 122-23)
In the early twentieth century, Mikhail Bakhtin, a Russian scholar who examined medieval folk culture and its manifestations in literature and society, appropriated the term ‘grotesque’ for his purposes, highlighting its aberrant notion in the subversive context of carnival. In his study on Rabelais and His World (1968), Bakhtin argues that the social event of carnival in medieval Europe functioned to consecrate inventive freedom, to permit the combination of a variety of different elements and their rapprochement, to liberate from the prevailing point of view of the world, from conventions and established truths, from cliches, from all that is humdrum and universally accepted. (Bakthin, 1984, 34)
This liberation “from conventions and established truths” resulted in a reversal of social structures and dominant codes, thus constituting a means of expressing contempt of the existing social order. Those who existed at the margins of society moved to the centre during medieval carnival “in a liberating explosion of otherness” (Stam, 1989, 86): stereotypical images of women, elderly and handicapped became sites of mockery and subversion of the dominant symbolic order. Men dressed as women, poor people became kings and queens, and children walked with sticks like elderly.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the role of national cinema and introduces the grotesque as a defining, subversive aesthetic in Australian film.
2 Theorising Australian Cinema: Situates the Australian film industry within a historical and global context, examining the tension between local identity and the dominant Hollywood model.
3 Theorising the Grotesque: Establishes the theoretical foundation by detailing Bakhtin’s theory of carnival, the grotesque body, and the functions of humour and filmic style.
4 The Grotesque in Australian Cinema: Applies the theoretical framework to specific Australian films, analyzing gender representations, humour, and stylistic deviations.
5 Conclusion: Reviews the hypothesis that the grotesque acts as a marker of difference and considers the future prospects of the Australian film industry.
Keywords
Australian Cinema, Grotesque, Mikhail Bakhtin, Carnival, Film Theory, Subversion, Masculinity, Femininity, Gender Roles, National Identity, Hollywood, Visual Style, Humour, Independent Film, Cultural Specificity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
This thesis examines the use of the "grotesque" as a defining aesthetic and subversive theme in popular Australian cinema from the late 1980s to the early 2000s.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The work focuses on the intersection of national identity, gender representations, social structures, and the rebellion against standardized Hollywood narrative conventions.
What is the core research goal?
The aim is to demonstrate that the grotesque is not merely an eccentric stylistic choice but a fundamental tool used by Australian filmmakers to critique and subvert dominant patriarchal and social norms.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The study employs a cultural and film-theoretical framework, primarily utilizing Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of carnival to interpret narrative and visual elements in selected Australian films.
What content is covered in the main section?
The main section analyzes four specific aspects: the grotesque female, the grotesque male, the usage of humour, and distinctive grotesque film styles, using case studies such as "Sweetie," "Muriel’s Wedding," and "The Castle."
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Key terms include Australian Cinema, Grotesque, Carnival, Subversion, National Identity, and Gender Performance.
How does the author view the "Aussie battler" archetype in "The Castle"?
The author views the Kerrigan family as an ironic representation that simultaneously upholds traditional values and mocks them through a grotesque and exaggerated lens.
What role does the "grotesque female" play in the films discussed?
The grotesque female is identified as a figure of resistance who "makes a spectacle" of herself, effectively disrupting patriarchal control and exposing the artificial nature of traditional femininity.
- Quote paper
- Magister Artium Inga von Kurnatowski (Author), 2005, The Notion of the Grotesque in Contemporary Australian Cinema, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/60072
