Article
Article name Essay on Sociocultural Analysis of Cinema: “Assassination Nation” by Sam Levinson
Authors Kolomeytseva E.B.Senior Lecturer tillyriddle@yandex.ru
Bibliographic description Kolomeytseva E. B. Essay on Sociocultural Analysis of Cinema. “Assassination Nation” by Sam Levinso // Humanitarian Vector. 2022. Vol. 17, No. 2. PP. 203–212. DOI: 10.21209/1996-7853-2022-17-2-203-212.
Section
DOI 10.21209/1996-7853-2022-17-2-203-212
UDK 316.74
Article type Reviews
Annotation Cinema is an open self-referential system that is capable of influencing society through film images, changing the position of viewers on certain issues. Thereby, socio-cultural analysis of a film “Assassination Nation” by S. Levinson (2018) is topical. This film was chosen for analysis because it claimed to be an up-to-date artistic reflection of cultural, informational and political events that had taken place in the recent past in Europe and America. Hypothesis of the study of this film is that the director Sam Levinson, using manipulative means of film language, inspires the audience as a society for a positive perception of marginal and deviant images, which can create the prerequisites for real deviant behavior. The author undertook a comprehensive analysis of the film images in order to identify the propagated ideas of neoliberalism and deviance. The analysis of the film was carried out using a systematic approach to cultural phenomena and using quantitative and qualifying methods of cultural studies and sociology. The methods in use elicited main themes and microthemes. These are the themes of private life freedom, dangers of data alongside the Internet, inability of women, transgender people and gays to fight legally for their rights, social cruelty of the crowd. Research hypothesis is confirmed. The director of the film choses delinquent methods of solution of social problems, using manipulation of the audience and propaganda of delinquent behavior. In this case, the filmmakers use methods to promote marginal behavior related to the current political agenda. This connection reveals a more global connection between the film industry and changes in social institutions. The results of the study can be practically used within the framework of special courses in cultural studies and media criticism.
Key words sociocultural analysis of cinema, visual analysis, content-analysis, critical discourse analysis, quantitative analysis, film sociology, delinquency
Article information
References 1. Yakoba, I. A. Deconstruction of the “Overton Window” Technology in American Media Discourse. Bulletin of Cherepovets State University, no. 5, pp. 175–186, 2019. (In Rus.) 2. Anderson, B. Imaginary Communities. Reflections on the Origins and Spread of Nationalism. Moskva: Kuchkovo pole, 2016. (In Rus.) 3. Delez, Zh. Cinema. M: Ad Marginem press. 2019. (In Rus.) 4. Khrenov, A. N. Socio-psychological Aspects of Interaction between Art and Public. M: Nauka, 1981. (In Rus.) 5. Kovalenko, T. V., Yagodkina E. A. Cinema as an Object of Cultural Expertise. Analytics of cultural studies, vol. 2, 2013. Web. 18.02.2022: http://analiculturolog.ru/journal/archive/item/1575.html. (In Rus.) 6. D’yachenko, I. V. Sociocultural Study of the Discourse and Indicative of Cinema Advertising. Bulletin of Vyatka State University, no. 4, pp. 47–50, 2009. (In Rus.) 7. D’yachenko, I. V. Sociological Research: A Sociocultural Analysis of Cinema Advertising. Bulletin of Vyatka State University, no. 2, pp. 92–97, 2009. (In Rus.) 8. Noakk, N. V., Znamenskaya A. N. Analysis of the Emotions of Moviegoer as a Condition for Predicting the Box Office Success of Film. Natsional’nye interesy: prioritety i bezopasnost’, no. 16, pp. 58–65, 2014. (In Rus.) 9. Jinjun, Luo. Analysis on the Cultural Transmission of Film and TV Music – Taking the Film “Parasite” as an Example. Advances in Social Science, vol. 572, pp. 285–290, 2020. (In Engl.) 10. Gozhanskaya, I. V. Cinema as an Object of Cultural Research. Cand. sci. diss. abstr. Saratov, 2006. (In Rus.) 11. Culturological expertise: theoretical models and practical experience: collective monograph / N. A. Krivich [and others]. SPb., 2011. (In Rus.) 12. Mekhonoshin, V.Yu. American Independent Cinema as a Cultural Phenomenon in the 1960s ‒ 2000s. Cand. sci. diss. Perm, 2013. (In Rus.) 13. Mekhonoshin, V.Yu. Peculiar Features of Cultural Analysis of Film Text. Bulletin of Vyatka State University, no. 1, pp. 145–149, 2013. (In Rus.) 14. Hutnyk, J. Screen violence and partition. Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, no. 19, pp. 610–626, 2018. DOI: 10.1080/14649373.2018.1543287. (In Engl.) 15. Wai-Siam, Hee. Anti-communist films sponsored by the US government in Singapore and Malaya: on the New York Sound Masters Inc. Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, no. 2, pp. 310–327, 2018. DOI: 10.1080/14649373.2018.1463078. (In Engl.) 16. Brewington, M. Is Sexism Taking on New Forms in Movies? An Ambivalent Sexism Perspective. Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. April, 20–23. 2020. Web. 15.02.2022. https:// digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/orcagrant. (In Engl.) 17. Bateman, J. A., Schmidt K-H Multimodal Film Analysis: How Films Mean. New York: Routledge, 2021. (In Engl.) 18. Umetalieva-Bayalieva, Ch. On the Cultural Method of Research. Problems of science, no. 7, pp. 202– 206, 2016. (In Rus.) 19. Sztompka, P. Trust: A Sociological Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018. (In Engl.) 20. Ostrovskaya, E. A. Sociology of Religion. Sankt-Peterburg: Sankt-Peterburgskoe vostokovedenie, 2018. (In Rus.) 21. Kozhokaru, T. I. On the Question of Methodology of Film Analysis. Articult, no.4, pp. 118–148, 2021. (In Rus.) 22. Women and Work: Film Analysis of Most Beautiful Thing [El. resurs] /Teixeira M. [and others]. Revista de Gestao, no. 1, pp. 66–83, 2021. Web.10.02.2022: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2177-8736.htm. (In Engl.) 23. Nur Futria, T. Analysis of Culture Shock in “English Vinglish” Movie: a Cross-Cultural Understanding. Jurnal Sahdu, vol. 1, pp. 1–11, 2021. (In Engl.) 24. Romero, A. Jr. Hollywood Goes to College: Movies, Academia and American Culture. New York: Amazon Books, 2022. (In Engl.) 25. Aoki, V., Santos, S. Film analysis in management: A journey through the metaphors of the concept of leadership. Revista De Gestao, no. 27, pp. 119–134, 2020. (In Engl.) 26. Korochenskii, A. P. “The Fifth Power”? The Phenomenon of Media Criticism in Context of Information Market). Rostov: Izd-vo MIZI, 2002. (In Rus.) 27. Santo Melo A. C. Movie Analysis: Fifty Shades of Grey. Salvador. 2021. Web. 16.02.2022. https://www. researchgate.net/publication. (In Engl.)
Full articleEssay on Sociocultural Analysis of Cinema: “Assassination Nation” by Sam Levinson