Film Characters Research Articles

A HERMENEUTIC ANALYSIS OF FILM THE LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER

The relationship between past and present is a compelling theme in film, particularly in The Last Letter from Your Lover, which explores love, time, and memory across two eras—the 1960s and the modern day. This study aims to interpret The Last Letter from Your Lover using a qualitative approach, grounded in Gadamer’s hermeneutic theory, to uncover layered meanings that are not directly expressed within the film. The analysis draws on primary data from key film elements, including dialogue, character development, narration, and other cinematic techniques, to provide a nuanced interpretation. Secondary data from academic literature, journals, and articles on hermeneutics supplement the study, offering theoretical depth to the analysis. Findings reveal how themes of love, time, and memory manifest through Gadamer’s concepts of historically effected consciousness, pre-understanding, fusion of horizons, and application. This research aims to contribute to film studies by enhancing understanding of implied meaning through hermeneutic analysis, enriching perspectives on temporal and emotional connections within film narratives.

Representation of The American Value in Elemental (2023) Film

The 2023 animated film Elemental is more than just a bright depiction of Elemental characters living in a fantasy world; it also represents deeply ingrained American values, particularly those that have shaped contemporary American culture. This article examines how Elemental's characters and narrative structure reflect Robert Kohls' key beliefs of individuality, personal success, and equality of opportunity. This research illuminates how American principles are reflected, both overtly and implicitly, in modern animation by closely examining the film's themes, character development, and symbolic components. The analytical approach combines literary analysis and cultural contextualization to highlight how Elemental not only entertains but also serves as a reflection of American society norms. This study emphasizes the significance of examining media to find the underlying principles that shape cultural products, demonstrating how popular culture can serve as a lens for better understanding society norms and standards.

The Evolution of Women's Roles and Status in Chinese Modern-Themed Films and Television Shows Between 2014 and 2024

Abstract: This paper devotes to study the changes in the role status and positioning of female characters in the context of modern Chinese film and television shows in the last ten years. This paper is based on the literature research method, case study, and comparative analysis method. Papers in related fields are studied to analyze the differences in the status and positioning of female characters in film and television works in various periods. In conclusion, this research finds that the evolution of female roles in modern Chinese film and television is a testament to the awareness and appreciation of gender diversity and female empowerment. As society continues to develop, future productions will embrace and celebrate the richness of women's careers and family lives. The film and television industry will continue to challenge and redefine traditional gender roles. The industry's response to audience feedback and the need for more realistic representations of women will elicit further innovation and diversity in the representation of female characters on screen.

Form And Meaning of Javanese Woman’s Masculinity in Joko Anwar’s “Perempuan Tanah Jahanam” (2019)

This research aims to find out the form and meaning of Javanese women’s resistance of NyiMisni, a Javanese woman character in the film entitled “Perempuan Tanah Jahanam” (2019), and how her masculinity is reflected through the interaction between her and other characters in the film. The analysis is conducted in the context of patriarchal domination over Javanese women specifically, and Indonesian women in general. The main data is obtained from the dialog uttered by the main female character, NyiMisni, in Joko Anwar’s “Perempuan Tanah Jahanam” (2019) film. It is supported by secondary data from other articles that mentioned masculinity traits shown by Javanese female characters in other films. The method of collecting data used in this research is the observation method using an observation technique. The techniques conducted are watching the movie, note-taking all dialogues that contain masculinity features, and classifying the data based on the masculinity features shown by NyiMisni. The analysis is conducted using Bem’s Sex Role Inventory (1982) and the theory of symbolic interactionism by Smelser (2013. Furthermore, the speech act theory by Searle (1976) is used as the supporting theory. The findings discovered some forms and meanings of Javanese women’s resistance as the masculinity features shown by NyiMisni and how she interacts with other participants through her utterances. Female masculinity is featured in assertiveness, dominance, and aggression. Her utterance is directly conducted, yet the intention is indirect.

Filmic Representation of ‘A Community with a Shared Future for Mankind’ in The Wandering Earth Series

Over the past 4 years, The Wandering Earth series has garnered significant acclaim and recognition within the market and film festival circuits. This study examines The Wandering Earth series, including The Wandering Earth and The Wandering Earth II, through the lens of ‘a community with a shared future for mankind’. Utilising qualitative content analysis, it explores the representation of global cooperation in these Chinese science fiction films, transcending conventional Western-centric narratives. The study reveals a unified international community by analysing film narratives, characters and visual symbolism, focusing significantly on China and non-Western countries’ roles in saving humanity. This approach aligns with global governance and post-colonial theories, highlighting the series’ challenge to Western hegemony and its contribution to the discourse on China’s growing cultural industry influence. This research enriches understanding of Chinese cinema’s role in shaping cultural values and international cooperation, emphasising the potential of the science fiction genre to reimagine global dynamics from a non-Western perspective. Its implications extend to enhancing the global understanding of China’s cultural narratives and contribute to the international dialogue on the evolution and influence of Chinese science fiction films.

How do Barbie and Ken speak? An analysis of the speech of the movie characters (in the Polish-language version)

The article investigates the language used by the movie characters Barbie and Ken in the film Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig. The Polish dubbing version is the subject of analysis. The author posits that the language of film characters is a contributing factor in the formation of their respective stereotypes. In the case of Barbie and Ken, this is significant, since both characters are cultural icons, and their stereotypical image is well-known in many cultures. Consequently, they can be regarded as exemplifying a specific gender and social group, and the utterances in question can be viewed as a gender-dependent variant of language and a variant of language characteristic of one particular social group. Given the exaggerated nature of Barbie and Ken’s utterances, it is necessary to consider them as stylised. Furthermore, they leave considerable scope for interpretation. It could be argued that the film is a satire of the feminist movement and an indictment of an order based on male domination. Alternatively, it could be seen as a representation of the voices of women and men in the struggle for equal rights.

PLACES OF HOPE: A CINEMATIC AND THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION

Christian theology distinguishes between cardinal virtues and theological virtues. Hope (spes) is one of the three theological virtues, along with faith (fidei) and love (caritas). Contrary to cardinal virtues, theological virtues are not humanly acquired, but divinely infused. This article considers the representation of the theological virtue of hope in contemporary cinema. It argues that the theological virtue of hope is represented in film through its placement in the daily existence of film characters. This is a way for hope to become a virtue that allows human life to partake in divine life. Yet this raises a generic question: what links exist between a virtue and a place? More specifically: what connections does cinema explore between the virtue of hope and places or spaces? I develop this reflection through the analysis of two films with significant differences: Silent Light (Stellet Licht, 2007), directed by Mexican Carlos Reygadas, with strong religious references, and the more secular Fire at Sea (Fuocoammare, 2016), directed by Italian Gianfranco Rosi.

Spatial Fantasies in Contemporary Russian Cinema

Fantastic film worlds give the viewer a new experience of understanding and living in space – combining different locations, establishing and overcoming boundaries, transitions into a fascinating other reality. This article examines the spatial patterns that create arenas of action for characters in Russian films and series of fantasy-mystical content shot in the 2020s. Analyses of worldbuilding in science fiction are related to philosophical ideas about possible worlds and are most represented by discussions of fantasy literature, whereas film fiction and the spaces it depicts await research attention. The authors dissect spatial patterns in sci-fi cinema as a reflection of current social conflicts/divisions and solidarities/convergences; reflecting on how spatial configurations encode the unprecedented mediation of modern technologies and normalize futuristic spatial practices. The focus is on the recurring film-to-film emphasis on the permeability, hybridity and tunnelling of space, on the phantasmagoria of non-releasing places. Russian cinema responds to an ontological philosophical agenda by visualizing the permeability of boundaries and the co-presence of man and other beings. The analysis shows that the portals and roads linking dream and reality, Soviet and modern Moscow, the cyber village on Mars and other planets of the solar system bear a significant plot load. The movement of the characters in an extraordinary space reproduces the archetypal test of the road and provides an opportunity to discuss social and attitudinal issues relevant to the Russian present. Particular attention is paid to the pattern of non-releasing space, which concentrates the fear of isolation characteristic of the established culture of mobility. Science fiction in cinema immerses viewers in worlds inhabited by unusual creatures, filled with artefacts, infrastructure, often through plot tension, frightening hints, visual effects draws attention to significant problems and challenges, including in the discussion of images of the future.

A Comparative Study on the Characteristics of Female Characters in Chinese and Korean Modern Films Since the New Century

Since the beginning of the new century, both Chinese and Korean modern-themed films have experienced rapid development, not only in terms of quantity and diversity of themes but also in the depth and quality of their content. Women, as indispensable characters in modern films, vividly reflect the aesthetic ideals, reception characteristics, and image expectations of their respective audiences. However, the cultural backgrounds, national characteristics, and social conditions in China and Korea lead to differing representations of female characters in their films.

Exploring the Development Path of Female Leading Characters in Film and Television Works - Taking the Image Shaping of Female Characters as an Example

In recent years, people have been paying more and more attention to the development direction of the "women" group, and the image of women in society has become increasingly diverse. In today's society, film and television media are important channels that can quickly disseminate information, attract social attention, and disseminate value orientation. This paper explores the development path of female protagonists by examining the image shaping of female characters in film and television works. By analyzing the evolution of female characters in various types of film and television productions, one can see that female roles are no longer confined to traditional archetypes such as the virtuous wife and loving mother or tragic figures. Instead, they increasingly exhibit qualities of independence, bravery, confidence, and intelligence. These changes enrich the content of film and television works and provide audiences with more diverse values and role models. The study finds that the diversification of female character portrayals not only enhances the artistic quality and appeal of the works but also exerts a positive influence on society. The image of women in film and television is gradually becoming an important force in guiding social trends and promoting gender equality. Therefore, in-depth exploration and research into the development path of female characters in film and television works are of great significance for understanding social and cultural changes and promoting gender equality.

Directive Illocutionary Act Found in The Commuter Film

The study aimed to analyze the type of directive illocutionary act spoken by all characters in the commuter film. The theory of Searle and Vanderveken (1985) on the type of directive illocutionary act is used in analyzing data findings. Halliday's theory (1985) of context of situation also supports the analysis in this study. Data were analyzed by using descriptive qualitative method. There are 91 utterance of directive illocutionary act found in the movie. The most dominant type is commanding act with 44 data (49%) occurrences followed by asking act with 30 data (33%) occurrences. The last type is ordering act with 17 data (18%) occurrences. The movie that used as the data source is a thriller-themed movie about the main actor who works on a mission given by someone. Thus, this movie contained many types of command, ask and order act.

A New Paradigm for Contemporary Film and Television Characters Design in the Context of Artificial Intelligence

This paper delves into the evolution of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) within the realm of contemporary digital art, and scrutinizes its implications on artistic modalities and production. It delineates the genesis and progression of AIGC technology, offering an analysis of its extensive applications on the design of cinematic character. The paper acknowledges the latent capabilities of AIGC in the domain of character design, and highlighting the significance of the fusion of AI technology and humanities in the realm of artistic production. In conclusion, delineates the prospective opportunities and risks associated with the future application of AIGC technology in the field of character design and offer a critical analysis of its implications for the creative industry, which is maintaining a reverent and contemplative stance towards traditional art while pursuing of technological innovation.

New Wave Women: Paying Attention to Brenda and Doreen in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

Scholarship in British film history has tended to suggest that the female characters in New Wave films are marginalised, dismissively associated with the trappings of consumer culture and responsible for the ultimate containment of their ‘Angry Young Men’ protagonists. In Sex, Class and Realism, which was published in 1986, John Hill situates the New Wave in relation to broader socio-economic and cultural changes in post-war Britain, including women’s shifting relationships with work, motherhood, family life and patterns of consumption. However, he concludes that the cycle failed to register women’s changing lives in the late 1950s and identifies the ‘dramatic and thematic subordination of female characters’ and a ‘streak of misogyny’ running through the cycle. Revisiting the treatment of women in the British New Wave, this article focuses on the characters Brenda and Doreen in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and instead explores how Rachel Roberts and Shirley Anne Field’s performances offer potent expressions of women’s changing lives in this period. Poised between representing individual desires, confidence and autonomy, and feelings of frustration, reserve and uncertainty, their performances vividly convey their characters’ experiences and expectations in ways that chimed with mobilities and new constructions of selfhood that were increasingly being practised by a ‘transition’ generation of young women in post-war Britain. I argue that Roberts’s and Field’s performances evoke the feelings of two different, working-class women, for whom expressions of assertiveness, sexuality and aspiration are shaped by contradictions, anxieties and feelings of vulnerability. In doing so, the article foregrounds and re-contextualises Roberts’s and Field’s contributions to the New Wave, recognising their representation of contemporary femininities in flux; and explores the promotion and critical reception of their roles, highlighting the tensions between social realism and glamour that shaped their New Wave stardom.

Deep Learning-Based Analysis of Emotional and Content Relevance Between Bullet Screens and Subtitles as Movie Narrative Medium

This study borrows elements of film text in the field of film studies to develop the potential of data analysis using AI algorithms, while aiming to explore the emotional and content relevances between the two narrative mediums in film, bullet screens and subtitles, as well as the narrative effect variations that they bring about. The film sample Forever Young was analyzed by deep learning, data analysis, and knowledge discovery algorithms and tools. The BERT model was used to quantify the intensity of emotions and conduct fine-grained emotional classification of film characters. Emotion curves are plotted based on time series data. Thematic words are extracted by the LDA algorithm, and text similarity is computed using Word2Vec. The study found differences in emotional expression between bullet screens and subtitles, and they also exhibit strong emotional and content relevances. Yet, this correlation is not only influenced by temporal deviation factors but also by specific emotional types, different stages of story development, and the collective emotions of online views. The conclusion suggests that the effective collection of plot metronomes in film narratives helps reveal crucial plot nodes and emotional trends in films that cause obvious emotional changes, and placing them appropriately is fundamental for continuously attracting and retaining viewers’ attention. The interaction between bullet comments and subtitles is not only about emotional expression but also enhances the effectiveness of the film narrative. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of database logic and technology in understanding and expressing film emotions and meanings, and providing new ideas and methods for enhancing film narrative effectiveness.

Persepsi tentang Film Kupu-Kupu Malam dan Kajian Pendidikan Agama Kristennya

“Kupu-kupu Malam” is a beautiful name commonly mentioned by Indonesian citizens for women who work as Commercial Sex Workers. There are various reasons why these women fall into the night world. One of them is faced by Laura, who is played by Michelle Ziudith in the film “Kupu-kupu Malam”. Film is a medium made by humans and is even lifted from the reality of human life. She had to enter the world of prostitution to finance her sister, who was seriously ill because they were orphans and did not have a single family, and the various consequences that she had to face alone for her decision. Starting from having to divide her time to study, working as a “Kupu-kupu Malam”, checking and seeing the development of her sister's health, and accepting the negative stigma and discrimination by society, especially by the man she loves and her family. Talking about night butterfly women among Indonesian people is a sensitive thing, especially if it is done by the closest people because it is an activity that is contrary to the norms of society and the teachings of every religion in Indonesia. The film “Kupu-kupu Malam” premiered on November 25, 2022, and was watched by many young people. They expressed various responses regarding the content and roles played by the film's characters. These responses are what make the author interested in writing it with the study of Christian Religious Education and using a qualitative method approach.

The realistic construction of the female character in the Iraqi feature film

دائما ما تمثل البنية الاجتماعية احد اهم البنى التي تؤثر في تكوين شخصية الانسان على العموم والشخصية النسائية على وجه الخصوص، بسبب ان البنية الاجتماعية تكشف عن نمط العلاقات ما بين الشخصيات الإنسانية وكذلك خصوصية البيئة من حيث التخلف والوعي فضلا عن كون البنية الاجتماعية تمنح الشخصية النسائية فرص التعبير عن نفسها من عدمه، لذا فان البينة الاجتماعية حاضرة وبشكل دائم في المعالجات السينمائية للقصص الروائية وكذلك إيجاد معادلات صورية تكشف عن تمثلات هذه البنية الاجتماعية سيما الشخصية النسائية. وهذا ما اثار انتباه الباحث فحدد موضوع بحثه بما يرتبط الشخصية النسائية بالبنية الاجتماعية وكيفيات تمثلها في الفيلم السينمائي العربي. وقد قسم الباحث بحثه إلى أربعة فصول، فتناول في الفصل الأول، طرح مشكلة البحث والتي تمثلت بالتساؤل " كيفيات تمثل البنية الاجتماعية للشخصية النسائية في السينما العربية؟"، وللإجابة عن السؤال تم الاستعانةِ بالمناهج المتخصصة والتي تعد إحدى الأدوات المهمة ومن شأنها أن تجمع المعلومات وفق المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، لإكمال البحث والوصول للنتائج المرجوة. واخذ الباحث على عاتقه مسألة الكشف عن تمثل البنية الاجتماعية في المعالجات الصورية للشخصية النسائية، واعتمد البحث على مهاد تنظيري يتكون من اربع فصول الفصل الاول الاطار المنهجي والفصل الثاني عبارة عن مبحثين المبحث الاول : البنية الاجتماعية لشخصية المرأة. اما المبحث الثاني: صورة المرأة اجتماعيا في الفيلم العربي. وعرض الباحث تحليل العينة المختارة في الفصل الثالث والفصل الرابع النتائج والاستنتاجات وكذلك سيرفق قائمة البحث للمصار والمراجع.

Cultural Degradation of Female Characters in Disney's Asian films：From Jasmine to Mulan

As one of the world's most popular film brands, Disney movies' influence on shaping female characters in culture cannot be ignored. The gradual deterioration of female characters in Disney films has influenced the development of Asian cinema. This paper takes Princess Jasmine and Mulan as the main research objects, compares the characters and plot development, and expounds the role of Princess Jasmine and the characteristics embodied. However, Mulan transforms from a simple girl to a brave warrior and realizes a role change. Among them, the social culture, market demand, etc., reflected in the transformation of Mulan's role, are really the essential changes in a role, and the shaping and evolution of Disney's role has also had an impact. The research helps to provide in-depth understanding and analysis to promote the diversity of Asian cultures and the positive image shaping of women's roles.

Non-Violent Revenge — Analyzing the Elements of Revenge in Visual Works in the Context of the Era

Revenge often signifies the retaliation of the powerless against the powerful in various relationships such as gender, society, peers, or family, enabling the audience to derive satisfaction from the triumph of the underdog. This enduring appeal is why revenge narratives have remained prevalent throughout literary and cinematic history. Recent discussions have questioned whether characters in many contemporary film and television productions are excessively “weak.” The emergence of numerous dark hero narratives such as Empresses in the Palace, The Glory, Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace, and The Knockout has sparked extensive debate on violent revenge-themed visual media. In this context, drawing from a synthesis of literature and analysis of works like The Great Jang-Geum, Like a Flowing River 3, and Roving Inspection Team, this paper proposes the concept of non-violent revenge. Moreover, building upon the idea of non-violent revenge, it discusses revenge elements in visual media within the context of their respective eras, exploring new revenge ideologies and the societal significance reflected in visual media, thus envisioning new avenues for revenge aesthetics.

True Story & Fictional Protagonist as a Bestseller

Thirty years after the collapse of communism, film productions with historical thematic references to the former GDR take up the horrors of the GDR regime with its perfidious surveillance system, reunification and the Wende period as an important historical event in fictional or documentary form and are popular internationally. GDR film and TV series, i.e. embedding the plot in a historical setting, are well received by international audiences. The article captures the potential of the film character Kleo Straub, the protagonist of the successful eight-part Netflix series Kleo (2022), for the storyline and in doing so also questions the credibility of the "true story" that did not "really [happen]" (prologue).

Raskolnikov as a Transformed Character: Aki Kaurismäki's Adaptation of “Crime and Punishment” (1983)

How do motion pictures transpose the characters from a well-established literary work into a cinematic narrative, replete with their own narrative potential? Can the resulting film be regarded as an entirely new creation? To explore these questions, we have selected Aki Kaurismäki's 1983 cinematic adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. The primary objective of this study is to ascertain whether the characters from a literary work undergo a transformation into new personas, enriched by the narrative possibilities inherent to cinema. Kaurismäki's adaptation of Crime and Punishment transposed the narrative to a more contemporary era and streamlined the cast of characters, with the film director imparting his distinctive touch to their transformation. In Kaurismäki's rendition of Crime and Punishment, a metafictional dimension emerges, blurring the boundaries of narrative levels. The film's characters comport themselves as if intimately acquainted with the original novel's story and characters. While maintaining fidelity to the foundational narrative, a novel artistic creation takes shape, wherein the characters exhibit a profound awareness of their origins within the original literary work.