Understanding how ‘metaphor’ functions within the different disciplines that make up a film – screenwriting, acting, cinematography and sound – is the fundamental purpose behind this practitioner-focused research.
Rather than discussing specific film movements, or conventions within ‘Hollywood’ or ‘art-house’ film, this research discusses the formal structure and cognitive process of film metaphor. ‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001), ‘Memento’ (2000) and ‘Naked’ (1993) are analysed for how they convey meanings through metaphor, despite their unconventional approaches to Aristotelian narrative structure. These films are seen as exemplifying the most progressive approaches in contemporary filmmaking, with regards to cinematography and sound design, plot design, and the direction of actors.
Even though ‘metaphor’ is seen as being only applicable with literary contexts, Trevor Whittock makes a compelling analysis of how metaphor can be applied to the manner in which the observer comprehends the figurative meanings in a film. This research cross-references Whittock’s theory of film metaphor, with theories on acting and performance. This approach helps to define how a film ‘performs’ to the observer, as a more insightful manner of critiquing theories of ‘representation’ and ‘expression’.
Beginning with an introduction to the concept of film metaphor, this thesis argues the problems and significance of the study. The second chapter expands on the scope and limitations of film metaphor, and how it makes up for shortcomings in the traditional theory of semiotic film theory. The third chapter details the way that film can be analysed as ‘performing’ in definable ‘modes’, in the same way as an actor. The premise that a film can be broken down into three key elements forms both the rationale behind the choice of the aforementioned three films as case studies. The conclusions reached by this research support the view that all types of ‘performance’ can create unique film metaphors. These essentially rely on an ‘interplay’ of figurative schemes. When the audience makes the connections between these schemes, they are then able to ‘read’ the ‘insight’ that the metaphor is set up to convey.
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