Digital Commons Network^™

“Screen Riders” An Exploration Of Breaking Away From The Norms Of Cinematic Storytelling, Jake Alexander Escamilla

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout my time in college, I would always hear people discussing how originality is dead and that everything has been done before. Though I do believe there is some air of truth to these statements, I hold tight to the idea that originality is not truly gone. My belief is that the entertainment industry is so set on playing it safe, they do not wish to break away and explore new ideas which have never been done before. I believe that if more creatives were given the freedom to try new combinations and had more fun doing what they love, …

The Man In The Tree: The Fantastic As A Bridge Between The Ideal And The Real, Weber Griffiths

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the effect of genre on storytelling, specifically the effect of the Fantastic in creating, within narrative, intrinsic meaning. In life and fiction, there exists a gap between what is ideal and what is real, a gap of mortality. Human’s struggle with this gap results in many forms of creation and meaning making. The Fantastic, as defined by literary critic Tzvetan Todorov, seeks to bridge this gap. In this examination, we take Todorov’s literary critique and apply it to four films of modern fantasy, showcasing the language and mechanics of the genre and its effectual way of bridging …

Livestrong Or Lie Hard: A Pentadic Analysis Of Deception And Reputation Management In 'The Armstrong Lie', Harper D. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Kenneth Burke's pentadic analysis has been a staple within the context of rhetorical criticism since the early days of critical communication studies. Throughout the years it has evolved from a heavy text criticism to application to film and documentary. The Armstrong Lie is another documentary that highlights the controversial actions of former seven-time Tour de France champion, Lance Armstrong. This film provides an opportunity in which the pentadic analysis can be applied in order to really dissect the message that is being told. Through application of the pentadic analysis to The Armstrong Lie it is possible to identify the true …

A Critical Study Of The African-American Comedic Tradition, Allison Longo

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the changes in African-American comedy during the 1980s. In exploring the changes during this decade, specific attention is paid to Eddie Murphy, who achieved incredible success beginning with his 1980 entrance on Saturday Night Live. In a relatively short period of time, Murphy was able to ascend to a level of cultural significance that far dwarfed that reached by any of the African American comedians who had preceded him. Through a comprehensive presentation of the historical development of African American humor, the following thesis challenges the consensus critical assumption that Murphy both consciously forewent opportunities to be …

Settlement House Scenes: Migrants And The Performing Arts In Transatlantic Perspective, Yevgeny Goldin

History Dissertations

This dissertation examines the transatlantic history of the settlement house movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It has two foci. The first is the origin of the settlement movement, in Britain; its spread to countries such as France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and, especially, the United States; and the connections — in the form of the movement of ideas and people — among the settlement movements in various countries. The second focus is on U.S. settlement houses as performance spaces, particularly in regards to migrants (immigrants). In that context, this dissertation examines in detail the kinds of activities …

Nostalgic Frontiers: Violence Across The Midwest In Popular Film, Adam R. Ochonicky

Theses and Dissertations

In "Nostalgic Frontiers: Violence Across the Midwest in Popular Film," I analyze the temporality and politics of nostalgia while providing a critical history of Midwestern representations in popular culture from the turn of the twentieth century through the first decade of the new millennium. A general line of inquiry informs this project: how do narratives set in the Midwest imagine, reify, and reproduce Midwestern identity, and what are the repercussions of such regional imagery circulating in American culture? Throughout this project, I identify shifting cultural perceptions of the Midwest at particular historical moments. In relation to these regional considerations, I …

Masquerading From The Periphery: Literary And Visual Representations Of Performative Vampiric Corporeality In The Anglo-American Gothic Tradition, 1816 - 2013, Ana-Gratiela Gal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

What might one make of the contemporary vampire's tentative assimilation into the mainstream, as opposed to Dracula's antiquated vampirism? Does the vampire's corporeal permutation reflect progress and freedom from old prejudices or is it, ultimately, a beautifully pre-packaged illusion? These are questions that this dissertation attempts to answer by examining the figure of the vampire in written and visual texts of British and American writers from the nineteenth century to the present. In contrast to readings in the dominant critical tradition that figure the vampiric body only as a reflection of its immediate historical and cultural context, my intention in …

The Costumed Catholic: Catholics, Whiteness, And The Movies, 1928 - 1973, Albert William Vogt Iii

Dissertations

Abstract

This dissertation examines the impact movies had on the place of Catholics of European descent in mainstream white America. Most scholars who study the history of Catholic populations in this country assume that they attained whiteness at some point. Whether with the Irish in the late nineteenth century, or more generally when urban parishes began the move to the suburbs post-World War II, the historiography claims that Catholics earned white status. However, an analysis of twentieth century American film complicates the historiography of Catholicism. A set of negative stereotypes, instead, have colored the presentation of the religion in cinema …

Southern Bellas: The Construction Of Mestiza Identity In Southern Narratives, Wendy Aimee Braun

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This project analyzes representations and self-representations of Mestizas living in areas of the Deep South that lack a significant Latino presence. Incorporating a range of media, I take a comparative approach to Southern cultural narratives and propose a re-reading of these works through an examination of identity formation and cultural negotiation. By centering the Southern Mestiza, this dissertation advances concepts of intersectionality to address the role of region, as well as race and gender, in the representation and experiences of women often overlooked in Southern and U.S. Latino studies. The Introductory chapter summarizes the theoretical framework for the study, including …

Historical Accuracy And The Ira Over 70 Years Of Cinema, Eric Scott Elliott

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine how the Irish Republican Army has been represented in theatrical cinema since the 1930s. The goal is to demonstrate the necessity for historical accuracy in movies produced for public entertainment, which often neglect historical facts and circumstances in portraying an organization as controversial and complex as the IRA. This has been done by examining five movies produced for wide-distribution and comparing each to the detailed historical record. Upon analysis of these movies, it becomes clear that the films which are the most historically relevant are also the most powerful cinematic productions, both …

Translating The Language Of Film: East Asian Films And Their Hollywood Remakes, Julia Yu

CMC Senior Theses

Hollywood remakes of East Asian films clearly change more than just the language of a film, and the choices that producers and directors make in order to tailor a foreign film so that it better appeals to American audiences creates an entry point that allows for a more direct comparison of aesthetic styles, cultural tastes, and narrative conventions. An analysis of two case studies, South Korean hit film My Sassy GIrl (2001) and Hong Kong's Infernal Affairs trilogy (2002, 2003, 2003) remade into My Sassy Girl (2008) and The Departed (2006), explores the principles of Korean and Hong Kong commercial …