The Notion of the Grotesque in Contemporary Australian Cinema

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of 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

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis investigates the phenomenon of the grotesque in contemporary Australian cinema. It explores the function of the grotesque as a defining element in Australian film, examining its narrative and visual manifestations, and its potential to contribute to the discussion about an Australian national cinema and its identity.

• The grotesque as a defining characteristic of contemporary Australian cinema.
• The theory of carnival and the grotesque, particularly in relation to Mikhail Bakhtin's work.
• The role of gender in the representation of the grotesque in Australian cinema.
• The relationship between the grotesque and the formation of an Australian national cinema.
• The impact of the grotesque on the cinematic style of Australian films.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter introduces the topic of the grotesque in contemporary Australian cinema and establishes the context for the thesis.

Chapter 2 provides an overview of the development of Australian cinema, from its early days to the contemporary era, focusing on the emergence of a distinctive national style.

Chapter 3 delves into the theoretical framework for understanding the grotesque, examining Bakhtin's theory of carnival and its application to film.

Chapter 4 analyzes the manifestations of the grotesque in a range of contemporary Australian films, exploring how the grotesque operates in terms of character, humor, and cinematic style.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The primary focus of this thesis is on the concept of the grotesque in contemporary Australian cinema. Key terms and concepts include: Australian national cinema, carnival, Bakhtin, gender, film style, narrative, visual, and identity.