Images. The International Journal of European Film, Performing Arts and Audiovisual Communication
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Semantyka znaków w adaptacjach filmowych Miasteczka Salem Stephena Kinga
Full text linkThe article attempts to analyze the film adaptations of Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot directed by Tobe Hooper (1979) and Mikael Salomon (2004) from the perspective of the semiotics of popular culture, with particular emphasis on character creation and the components of the space of the depicted world. The semiotic approach used in the analysis is based on recognizing the primacy of intentions generated by the work and decoded by the recipient, and not reading the intentions of the sender. At the center of the discussion are film signs and an attempt to read the meanings they create. Semiotic analysis makes it possible to demonstrate that various elements related to the creation of characters and the poetics of space carry senses and meanings immanently inscribed in the plot fabric of the text. Film adaptations of one of King’s most famous novels, and especially Hooper’s film, are far from postmodern games with the recipient. In the two films discussed here, the elements of the semiosphere are clear, which, as specific signs of the film narrative, create semiological chains. It is also important to indicate how these adaptations fit into the cultural tradition of the vampire theme and to what extent new approaches have been introduced in relation to the literary original.The article attempts to analyze the film adaptations of Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot directed by Tobe Hooper (1979) and Mikael Salomon (2004) from the perspective of the semiotics of popular culture, with particular emphasis on character creation and the components of the space of the depicted world. The semiotic approach used in the analysis is based on recognizing the primacy of intentions generated by the work and decoded by the recipient, and not reading the intentions of the sender. At the center of the discussion are film signs and an attempt to read the meanings they create. Semiotic analysis makes it possible to demonstrate that various elements related to the creation of characters and the poetics of space carry senses and meanings immanently inscribed in the plot fabric of the text. Film adaptations of one of King’s most famous novels, and especially Hooper’s film, are far from postmodern games with the recipient. In the two films discussed here, the elements of the semiosphere are clear, which, as specific signs of the film narrative, create semiological chains. It is also important to indicate how these adaptations fit into the cultural tradition of the vampire theme and to what extent new approaches have been introduced in relation to the literary original
Hong Kong’s Tightened Film Censorship and Its Implication on Hong Kong Cinema
Full text linkHong Kong’s film censorship had become completely apolitical on the eve of the city’s change of sovereignty from Britain to China in 1997. This paper will review film censorship practices in the early handover period, drawing from the first-hand experience of the author, who was a public officer working in the film censorship institution. It will examine how film censorship practices in Hong Kong have changed to reintroduce political censorship following the Chinese government’s tightened grip over this former British colony, such as imposing the National Security Law (NSL) prompted by a massive civic movement in 2019. Political censorship has begun to manifest in a more covert manner within the film industry. Filmmakers, distributors, and screening organisers are finding ways to navigate the tightened censorship, ranging from circulating works overseas to incorporating acts of censorship as part of the creative process. The dynamics between the state’s control, the industry’s collaboration, and the filmmakers’ reactions are collectively shaping the evolving landscape of Hong Kong cinema under a mutating political environment in the post-NSL Hong Kong.Hong Kong’s film censorship had become completely apolitical on the eve of the city’s change of sovereignty from Britain to China in 1997. This paper will review film censorship practices in the early handover period, drawing from the first-hand experience of the author, who was a public officer working in the film censorship institution. It will examine how film censorship practices in Hong Kong have changed to reintroduce political censorship following the Chinese government’s tightened grip over this former British colony, such as imposing the National Security Law (NSL) prompted by a massive civic movement in 2019. Political censorship has begun to manifest in a more covert manner within the film industry. Filmmakers, distributors, and screening organisers are finding ways to navigate the tightened censorship, ranging from circulating works overseas to incorporating acts of censorship as part of the creative process. The dynamics between the state’s control, the industry’s collaboration, and the filmmakers’ reactions are collectively shaping the evolving landscape of Hong Kong cinema under a mutating political environment in the post-NSL Hong Kong
Pod upadającym nadzorem. Cenzura filmów polskich w latach 1986–1989
Full text linkThe article reconstructs the final three years of film censorship activities in the Polish People’s Republic. The author understands the term “censorship” not only as the activities of the Main Office for the Control of the Press, Publications and Performances but also of state cinema institutions. Therefore, the subject is both censorship interference in films and the programming policy of Polish People’s Republic-era cinema in relation to politically controversial films (documentaries and live-action films). The author situates his analysis in the political context (10th Congress of the Polish United Workers’ Party in 1986), institutional context (Cinema Act issued in 1987), and social context (the first elections in the Eastern Bloc that resulted in the communist government losing power, June 4, 1989).The article reconstructs the final three years of film censorship activities in the Polish People’s Republic. The author understands the term “censorship” not only as the activities of the Main Office for the Control of the Press, Publications and Performances but also of state cinema institutions. Therefore, the subject is both censorship interference in films and the programming policy of Polish People’s Republic-era cinema in relation to politically controversial films (documentaries and live-action films). The author situates his analysis in the political context (10th Congress of the Polish United Workers’ Party in 1986), institutional context (Cinema Act issued in 1987), and social context (the first elections in the Eastern Bloc that resulted in the communist government losing power, June 4, 1989)
Spacer po_lesie
Full text linkDon’t expect objectivity in Walk_in Synchronicity. Exactly what I’m interested in are those elements of space that escape attention on a daily basis – nooks, crannies, isthmuses, paths that seem to lead nowhere, details that interact with others in unexpected ways. Although the frames show people immersed in everyday activities – smoking cigarettes on balconies, rushing to work, resting on benches – the context in which I see them gives the paintings a dreamlike, almost magical character.
Being a resident of Łódź, I am particularly sensitive to the peculiar, simultaneous austerity and elegance of my city. Concrete rubble teaches me humility, and the shade of a park bench contrasting with the grey of the pavements evokes a peculiar beauty. Walk_in Synchronicity awakens in me a longing for nature, for something primal that cannot be put completely into words. Wandering through the streets of the Old Polesie neighbourhood, I experience the beauty of the raw ‘noisy’ massifs, which move against the backdrop of thoroughfares and by- passes. Occasionally, between the tenements, one comes across the steady hum of a large air-conditioning unit of an abandoned factory, as if performing a solitary meditation.
From the plethora of details, I pick out those that seem to carry universal meanings. I move from the banality of everyday life, which becomes the starting point, to unusual coincidences, prompting reflections. Although deeply rooted in the urban fabric of Łódź, Walk_in Synchronicity is at the same time a manifesto of a longing for nature.
The entire project can be read as a musical score for the city, in which the individual spaces resonate with each other, even though each remains in its own key.Nie spodziewajcie się obiektywizmu w Spacerze po_lesie. Interesują mnie właśnie te elementy przestrzeni, które na co dzień umykają uwadze – zakamarki, przesmyki, ścieżki, zdające się prowadzić donikąd, detale współgrające z innymi w niespodziewany sposób. Choć w kadrach pojawiają się ludzie zanurzeni w codziennych czynnościach – palący papierosy na balkonach, pędzący do pracy, odpoczywający na ławkach – to kontekst, w którym ich widzę, nadaje obrazom odrealniony, niemal magiczny charakter.
Jako łodzianin jestem szczególnie wrażliwy na tę specyficzną jednoczesną surowość i elegancję mojego miasta. Betonowe gruzowiska uczą mnie pokory, a odcień parkowej ławki kontrastujący z szarością chodników przywołuje osobliwe piękno. Spacer po_lesie budzi we mnie tęsknotę za naturą, za czymś pierwotnym, czego nie da się do końca określić słowami. Wędrując ulicami dzielnicy Starego Polesia, przeżywam piękno surowych „noisowych” masywów, które przesuwają się na tle przelotowych tras i obwodnic. Czasem, między kamienicami, można natknąć się na jednostajny szum wielkiego klimatyzatora opuszczonej fabryki, jakby odprawiającego samotną medytację.
Spośród nadmiaru szczegółów wyłapuję te, które zdają się nośnikami uniwersalnych znaczeń. Przechodzę od banału codzienności, która staje się punktem wyjścia, ku niezwykłym koincydencjom, prowokującym do refleksji. Spacer po_lesie, choć głęboko zakorzeniony w łódzkiej tkance miejskiej, jest jednocześnie manifestem tęsknoty za naturą. Cały projekt można odczytywać jako partyturę miasta, w której poszczególne przestrzenie współbrzmią ze sobą, mimo że każda pozostaje w swojej własnej tonacji
Abbas Kiarostami’s The Wind Will Carry Us in a Biblical Context
Full text linkAfter outlining the state of research, the article presents an interpretation of Abbas Kiarostami’s film The Wind Will Carry Us (1999), made using the concept of mythic narrative developed by the author two decades ago. The author reconstructs the deep structure of the story and the mechanisms inscribed in it for the transformation of the main character, and his transition from the state of inner death to life. Taking advantage of its narrative openness and symbolic universality, he inscribes it in a close biblical context. He also considers this procedure legitimate because of the concept of “unfinished cinema” repeatedly presented and affirmed by the director.After outlining the state of research, the article presents an interpretation of Abbas Kiarostami’s film The Wind Will Carry Us (1999), made using the concept of mythic narrative developed by the author two decades ago. The author reconstructs the deep structure of the story and the mechanisms inscribed in it for the transformation of the main character, and his transition from the state of inner death to life. Taking advantage of its narrative openness and symbolic universality, he inscribes it in a close biblical context. He also considers this procedure legitimate because of the concept of “unfinished cinema” repeatedly presented and affirmed by the director
Imagining the Nation on the Screen: The Poetics of Palestinian Cinema’s Fourth Period
Full text linkThis article explores Palestinian cinema’s fourth period of activity that began around 1980. During this time, the world did not acknowledge the existence of the Palestinian people and their territory. Palestinian cinema thus emerged as a tool to create a national identity and voice, and to establish a continuous time and space that defined their history and territory. The films projected a collective consciousness that united the dispersed Palestinian community, creating a shared community. To achieve these goals, Palestinian cinema employed unique and complex artistic means, with its national purpose remaining consistent with its complex cinematic poetics. This bird’s-eye-view article highlights the shared spirit of the films and emphasizes the commonality beyond the differences. It offers an insight into the cinematic language that characterized this period and the principles that made Palestinian cinema a unique voice on the global stage.This article explores Palestinian cinema’s fourth period of activity that began around 1980. During this time, the world did not acknowledge the existence of the Palestinian people and their territory. Palestinian cinema thus emerged as a tool to create a national identity and voice, and to establish a continuous time and space that defined their history and territory. The films projected a collective consciousness that united the dispersed Palestinian community, creating a shared community. To achieve these goals, Palestinian cinema employed unique and complex artistic means, with its national purpose remaining consistent with its complex cinematic poetics. This bird’s-eye-view article highlights the shared spirit of the films and emphasizes the commonality beyond the differences. It offers an insight into the cinematic language that characterized this period and the principles that made Palestinian cinema a unique voice on the global stage
Nowe kino saudyjskie. O twórczości Meshala Al Jasera
Full text linkThe author analyzes two films by the young Saudi director Meshal Al Jaser: Is Sumiyati Going to Hell? (2016) and Can I Go Out? (2017), in which she focuses on the situation of two social groups – women and migrant workers. The analysis is preceded by a short introduction to the social and cultural situation in Saudi Arabia, together with a description of the conditions that have only recently enabled the emergence of filmmaking in this country and shaped its specificity. The author focuses on the content of the films analyzed, interpreting them in the context of Saudi reality, as well as on the director’s characteristic style, which often employs the convention of grotesque. This text tries to show how the artistic choices made by Al Jaser allow him to portray the chosen social phenomena in their depth and complexity.The author analyzes two films by the young Saudi director Meshal Al Jaser: Is Sumiyati Going to Hell? (2016) and Can I Go Out? (2017), in which she focuses on the situation of two social groups – women and migrant workers. The analysis is preceded by a short introduction to the social and cultural situation in Saudi Arabia, together with a description of the conditions that have only recently enabled the emergence of filmmaking in this country and shaped its specificity. The author focuses on the content of the films analyzed, interpreting them in the context of Saudi reality, as well as on the director’s characteristic style, which often employs the convention of grotesque. This text tries to show how the artistic choices made by Al Jaser allow him to portray the chosen social phenomena in their depth and complexity
Przekształcenia w zakresie cenzury filmowej w Japonii do końca II wojny światowej
Full text linkThe article discusses the transformations in film censorship and film policy in Japan until the end of World War II. Its first part outlines the general trend of these changes – gradual centralization of film censorship and increased scope of state control over film. The next sections are devoted to film regulations from 1917, 1925 and 1939 and other tools of government influence over cinema in Japan. The main conclusion of the article is that the censorship criteria in each of the regulations discussed were formulated in general terms which could be interpreted in accordance with the immediate interests of the authorities and state bureaucracy.The article discusses the transformations in film censorship and film policy in Japan until the end of World War II. Its first part outlines the general trend of these changes – gradual centralization of film censorship and increased scope of state control over film. The next sections are devoted to film regulations from 1917, 1925 and 1939 and other tools of government influence over cinema in Japan. The main conclusion of the article is that the censorship criteria in each of the regulations discussed were formulated in general terms which could be interpreted in accordance with the immediate interests of the authorities and state bureaucracy
Pozycja aktora w obliczu rozwoju platform streamingowych
Full text linkThe article analyzes an actor’s position in the face of the development of streaming services. The author uses the comparative method to present analogies and differences in how the old study system and the new streaming system function, with particular emphasis on the hierarchy in the industry, attitude to actors, work culture and wage inequalities. She draws attention to the advantages of the flourishing VOD platforms and contrasts this with the losses suffered by actors. The article recalls earlier disputes between artists and studios, which are compared with such issues as reasons of SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023, residuals for creators on the digital market, and artificial intelligence in filming. History has come the full circle: platforms have grown into a hegemon in this business and replicate old strategies.The article analyzes an actor’s position in the face of the development of streaming services. The author uses the comparative method to present analogies and differences in how the old study system and the new streaming system function, with particular emphasis on the hierarchy in the industry, attitude to actors, work culture and wage inequalities. She draws attention to the advantages of the flourishing VOD platforms and contrasts this with the losses suffered by actors. The article recalls earlier disputes between artists and studios, which are compared with such issues as reasons of SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023, residuals for creators on the digital market, and artificial intelligence in filming. History has come the full circle: platforms have grown into a hegemon in this business and replicate old strategies
UATV: Ukraine’s Voice on the Information Battlefield
Full text linkThis article describes the important role that international broadcasting has played since its inception in promoting state sovereignty and reducing foreign propaganda in information warfare, with a particular focus on Ukraine. The author provides a thorough overview of the historical development of international broadcasting in Ukraine and how it has evolved since the Russian annexation of Crimea, the occupation of Donbass, and the full-scale invasion. While research in the field has been dominated by analyses of ‘traditional’ or ‘mainstream’ media, such as radio and television, this article analyses how the Ukrainian International Broadcasting UATV English on YouTube and Facebook social media platforms have functioned over the first six months since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The author finds UATV effective in restricting the aggressor’s propaganda in the Western media space, pointing out the lack of activity in Asia-Pacific and the strategic importance of ensuring the presence of Ukrainian International Broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region.This article describes the important role that international broadcasting has played since its inception in promoting state sovereignty and reducing foreign propaganda in information warfare, with a particular focus on Ukraine. The author provides a thorough overview of the historical development of international broadcasting in Ukraine and how it has evolved since the Russian annexation of Crimea, the occupation of Donbass, and the full-scale invasion. While research in the field has been dominated by analyses of ‘traditional’ or ‘mainstream’ media, such as radio and television, this article analyses how the Ukrainian International Broadcasting UATV English on YouTube and Facebook social media platforms have functioned over the first six months since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The author finds UATV effective in restricting the aggressor’s propaganda in the Western media space, pointing out the lack of activity in Asia-Pacific and the strategic importance of ensuring the presence of Ukrainian International Broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region