Images. The International Journal of European Film, Performing Arts and Audiovisual Communication
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Gatunek na usługach doktryny. Ideologia w polsko-enerdowskiej koprodukcji Milcząca gwiazda
Get PDFThe East German-Polish co-production The Silent Star (1960, Kurt Maetzig) belongs to the group of early postwar Eastern European science fiction films which still remain barely examined by film and genre historians. The article summarizes the existing research on the film and investigates not only the specific formal character of Maetzig’s unprecedented project, but also the numerous ideological and political motivations which stood behind it.The East German-Polish co-production The Silent Star (1960, Kurt Maetzig) belongs to the group of early postwar Eastern European science fiction films which still remain barely examined by film and genre historians. The article summarizes the existing research on the film and investigates not only the specific formal character of Maetzig’s unprecedented project, but also the numerous ideological and political motivations which stood behind it
W świecie kolorowej (anty)utopii. O animowanych cyborgach w Kongresie Ariego Folmana
Get PDFThe article focuses on pointing out the functions of using animation technique and elements of the science fiction genre in Ari Folman’s The Congress from 2013. The film, which is loosely based on the short story The Futurological Congress by Stanisław Lem, balances on the edge of various genres, using the techniques of both live action film and computer animation. Folman proposes a glamorous, colorful vision of an (anti)utopian future, in which pharmacologically-modified cyborg-people participate in a collective hallucination, which is an alternative reality to the post-apocalyptic real world. The director makes several significant changes to the original, thanks to which he introduces a universal message and asks questions which seem far more relevant in the context of both contemporary culture and the environmental crisis that can no longer be ignored (although the issue of an impending natural disaster was also important in Lem’s works).The article focuses on pointing out the functions of using animation technique and elements of the science fiction genre in Ari Folman’s The Congress from 2013. The film, which is loosely based on the short story The Futurological Congress by Stanisław Lem, balances on the edge of various genres, using the techniques of both live action film and computer animation. Folman proposes a glamorous, colorful vision of an (anti)utopian future, in which pharmacologically-modified cyborg-people participate in a collective hallucination, which is an alternative reality to the post-apocalyptic real world. The director makes several significant changes to the original, thanks to which he introduces a universal message and asks questions which seem far more relevant in the context of both contemporary culture and the environmental crisis that can no longer be ignored (although the issue of an impending natural disaster was also important in Lem’s works)
Radosława Piwowarskiego podróże nostalgiczne. Kreowanie pamięci wspólnotowej i „realizm pamięci” w narracjach o Dolinie Dzieciństwa i Młodości
Get PDFThe article comprises a study of the creative work of the Polish director Radosław Piwowarski, represented by his most characteristic films. The author points out the merger of stylized realism and of the nostalgic (or to be more precise – the realism stylized by means of nostalgia) as constitutive for the film style of this film artist. As a result of film analyses, the narrative structures of Piwowarski’s films appear to be memory structures, as they re-create the reality remembered by the filmmaker, who usually chooses the topos of a trip down memory lane to express his personal and subjective point of view. The film’s story becomes the image of the subjective reality, since it is a product of personal memory, consciousness and imagination. Piwowarski refers to the motif of the Valley of Childhood and Youth, vivid and active in the Polish literature and cinema, as an universum closed up in the past and lost forever, which, however, is accessible through the activity of recalling. The director, by the act of re-creation of a world personally remembered, actualizes the collective memory and therefore creates a community of memory with viewers of his films. The screen image of the past reality therefore gains double reliability – as a personal confession and as a record of the past; in consequence, we achieve the esthetical category of realism of memory.The article comprises a study of the creative work of the Polish director Radosław Piwowarski, represented by his most characteristic films. The author points out the merger of stylized realism and of the nostalgic (or to be more precise – the realism stylized by means of nostalgia) as constitutive for the film style of this film artist. As a result of film analyses, the narrative structures of Piwowarski’s films appear to be memory structures, as they re-create the reality remembered by the filmmaker, who usually chooses the topos of a trip down memory lane to express his personal and subjective point of view. The film’s story becomes the image of the subjective reality, since it is a product of personal memory, consciousness and imagination. Piwowarski refers to the motif of the Valley of Childhood and Youth, vivid and active in the Polish literature and cinema, as an universum closed up in the past and lost forever, which, however, is accessible through the activity of recalling. The director, by the act of re-creation of a world personally remembered, actualizes the collective memory and therefore creates a community of memory with viewers of his films. The screen image of the past reality therefore gains double reliability – as a personal confession and as a record of the past; in consequence, we achieve the esthetical category of realism of memory
O strukturze świata w narracyjnych grach wideo
Get PDFThe article On the structure of gameworld in narrative video games proposes to introduce the term ‘ludotopia’ to Polish game studies in order to further compartmentalise the structure of video gameworld. Having reflected on the consequences of so-called world-centered turn in contemporary digital humanities, the author proceeds to defining archetypal structures that compose realities designed for the purposes of narrative video games, namely: locations and clusters of locations, the latter divided further into biomes and anthromes. The hierarchy introduced thereby is presented as an alternative for already influential (though, arguably, in transmedial world-building studies rather than game studies) trichotomy of mythos, topos, and ethos, as defined by Lisbeth Klastrup and Susana Tosca. In the end, the article cross-references the new structural hierarchy of ludotopographical components with a matrix of popular fantastic settings, seeking to delineate possible similarities between ludotopias and allotopias that would inform both game scholars and game designers on the ways of rapid prototyping of aesthetically diverse imaginary worlds.The article On the structure of gameworld in narrative video games proposes to introduce the term ‘ludotopia’ to Polish game studies in order to further compartmentalise the structure of video gameworld. Having reflected on the consequences of so-called world-centered turn in contemporary digital humanities, the author proceeds to defining archetypal structures that compose realities designed for the purposes of narrative video games, namely: locations and clusters of locations, the latter divided further into biomes and anthromes. The hierarchy introduced thereby is presented as an alternative for already influential (though, arguably, in transmedial world-building studies rather than game studies) trichotomy of mythos, topos, and ethos, as defined by Lisbeth Klastrup and Susana Tosca. In the end, the article cross-references the new structural hierarchy of ludotopographical components with a matrix of popular fantastic settings, seeking to delineate possible similarities between ludotopias and allotopias that would inform both game scholars and game designers on the ways of rapid prototyping of aesthetically diverse imaginary worlds
Material windows and working stations. The discourse networks behind skeuomorphic interface in Pathfinder: Kingmaker
Get PDFThe article probes the intermedial structure of the skeuomorphic interface in Pathfinder: Kingmaker. The author indicates that intermedia research in game studies is often diachronically limited, focusing on material and semiotic interactions between “old” and “new” media. He proposes to open the field onto historically aware discoursive analysis and bases his method on Friedrich Kittler’s notion of “discourse networks”. This allows him to inspect the game in relation to technologically-founded networks that embody or bring into life specific modes of though and experience. During his analysis, he discovers that the interface design is involved with navigation devices in Late Medieval and Early Renaissance periods, Alberti’s windows as objects through with narrative spaces become visible, isometric modes of objective thinking, industrial and cybernetic notions of control, and the Xerox invention of the computer as a working environment.The article probes the intermedial structure of the skeuomorphic interface in Pathfinder: Kingmaker. The author indicates that intermedia research in game studies is often diachronically limited, focusing on material and semiotic interactions between “old” and “new” media. He proposes to open the field onto historically aware discoursive analysis and bases his method on Friedrich Kittler’s notion of “discourse networks”. This allows him to inspect the game in relation to technologically-founded networks that embody or bring into life specific modes of though and experience. During his analysis, he discovers that the interface design is involved with navigation devices in Late Medieval and Early Renaissance periods, Alberti’s windows as objects through with narrative spaces become visible, isometric modes of objective thinking, industrial and cybernetic notions of control, and the Xerox invention of the computer as a working environment
Polish political browser games as generative metaphors: analysis of structures and functions
Get PDFThis article describes a study of 33 Polish political browser games, which are left of the set of 51 applications developed by Polish Internet users from 2005 to 2020. These considerations concern mainly the metaphorical messages conveyed in these games, in particular which features make browser games metaphorical messages, and what game structure is necessary to convey such messages. Differentiation of these game types is equally important. Owing to it, they can participate in expressive and explanatory communication.This article describes a study of 33 Polish political browser games, which are left of the set of 51 applications developed by Polish Internet users from 2005 to 2020. These considerations concern mainly the metaphorical messages conveyed in these games, in particular which features make browser games metaphorical messages, and what game structure is necessary to convey such messages. Differentiation of these game types is equally important. Owing to it, they can participate in expressive and explanatory communication
Kolonizacja stawów hydr – narracje w serii Heroes of Might and Magic
Get PDFThis article is an analysis of narratives in a series of video games called Heroes of Might and Magic. Author discusses issue of colonial/imperial thinking connected with strategy genre, evolution of fantasy tropes and developement of plot structure. On this basis he tries to outline the limitations of storytelling which result from series formula.This article is an analysis of narratives in a series of video games called Heroes of Might and Magic. Author discusses issue of colonial/imperial thinking connected with strategy genre, evolution of fantasy tropes and developement of plot structure. On this basis he tries to outline the limitations of storytelling which result from series formula
Religious and quasi-religious attitudes in four Polish documentaries from 2008–2019
Get PDFThe paper aims to present different ways of showing religious and quasi-religious attitudes in contemporary Polish documentaries. The discussion is based on four feature-length films: Kites by Beata Dzianowicz (2008), Communion by Anna Zamecka (2016), Who Will Write Our History by Roberta Grossman (2018), and Tell No One by Tomasz Sekielski (2019). The author evaluates the methodological usefulness of reflection in the documentary of the “religious film” category used in Polish research and the concept of “transcendent(al) style” taken from Paul Schrader’s book. Occasionally touching upon the question of the relationship with audiences, the author also mentions the paradigm of Polish Romanticism present in contemporary culture.The paper aims to present different ways of showing religious and quasi-religious attitudes in contemporary Polish documentaries. The discussion is based on four feature-length films: Kites by Beata Dzianowicz (2008), Communion by Anna Zamecka (2016), Who Will Write Our History by Roberta Grossman (2018), and Tell No One by Tomasz Sekielski (2019). The author evaluates the methodological usefulness of reflection in the documentary of the “religious film” category used in Polish research and the concept of “transcendent(al) style” taken from Paul Schrader’s book. Occasionally touching upon the question of the relationship with audiences, the author also mentions the paradigm of Polish Romanticism present in contemporary culture
Figura mitologicznej Kasandry w filmach science fiction
Get PDFThe article reflects on how characters with the features of the mythological Cassandra function in science fiction films. Such references are part of the rich tradition of building fictional depictions of the near or distant future on the foundation of mythical stories. The study aimed to examine the considerable and complex meaning which Cassandra conveys through the ages and to determine its usefulness in constructing pop culture ideas about the current condition of humanity. In contemporary fiction, Cassandra is brought to the fore more often than in ancient sources, and her fullest portrait is drawn in those films that both consider her a figure of the powerlessness of the prophets and take into account her personal drama. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) by James Cameron, 12 Monkeys (1995) by Terry Gilliam, Minority Report (2002) by Steven Spielberg, and Arrival (2016) by Denis Villeneuve, the figure of Cassandra is examined through her prophetic gift, the alleged madness of the seer and the fearfulness of the prophetism itself.The article reflects on how characters with the features of the mythological Cassandra function in science fiction films. Such references are part of the rich tradition of building fictional depictions of the near or distant future on the foundation of mythical stories. The study aimed to examine the considerable and complex meaning which Cassandra conveys through the ages and to determine its usefulness in constructing pop culture ideas about the current condition of humanity. In contemporary fiction, Cassandra is brought to the fore more often than in ancient sources, and her fullest portrait is drawn in those films that both consider her a figure of the powerlessness of the prophets and take into account her personal drama. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) by James Cameron, 12 Monkeys (1995) by Terry Gilliam, Minority Report (2002) by Steven Spielberg, and Arrival (2016) by Denis Villeneuve, the figure of Cassandra is examined through her prophetic gift, the alleged madness of the seer and the fearfulness of the prophetism itself
Rozwój filmowych adaptacji komiksów – „kino superbohaterskie” jako gatunek
Get PDFThis article is an attempt to consider superhero movies as a developing genre of popular cinema. The theory is based on Rick Altman’s “Semantic/Syntactic/Pragmatic” approach to genre. It tries to capture features of superhero blockbusters and their main themes – the most distinctive trait of this genre, according to the author of the text, is supposed to be the relationship between an individual, their “power” and society. The text is both an extension of and a counter-proposal to conclusions made by Tomasz Żaglewski in Kinowe uniwersum superbohaterów.This article is an attempt to consider superhero movies as a developing genre of popular cinema. The theory is based on Rick Altman’s “Semantic/Syntactic/Pragmatic” approach to genre. It tries to capture features of superhero blockbusters and their main themes – the most distinctive trait of this genre, according to the author of the text, is supposed to be the relationship between an individual, their “power” and society. The text is both an extension of and a counter-proposal to conclusions made by Tomasz Żaglewski in Kinowe uniwersum superbohaterów