Film, Architecture and Popular Culture... Their Zone of Overlap

fILMaRCHITECTUREpOPULARcULTUREfILMaR
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
A-PDF Watermark DEMO: Purchase from www.A-PDF.com to remove the watermark
KAPOOR |1
CHITECTUREpOPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHITEC
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
TUREpOPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHITECTUREp
10 COPYRIGHT
OPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHITECTUREpOPULA
2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT
Film, Architecture and
RcULTUREfILMaRCHITECTUREpOPULARcULTU
Popular Culture 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
…their Zone of Overlap
REfILMaRCHITECTUREpOPULARcULTUREfILM
11th January 2010
aRCHITECTUREpOPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHIT
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
013 Priyamvada Kapoor (USAP)
ECTUREpOPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHITECTURE
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
pOPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHITECTUREpOPULA
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT
2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
aRCHITECTUREpOPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHIT C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
ECTUREpOPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHITECTURE C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
pOPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHITECTUREpOPULA C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
aRCHITECTUREpOPULARcULTUREfILMaRCHIT
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 KAPOOR |2 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 APPROVAL CERTIFICATE
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
The following study is hereby approved as a creditable work on the approved subject, carried
out, and presented in a manner sufficiently satisfactory to warrant its acceptance.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
It is to be understood that by this approval the undersigned does not necessarily endorse or
approve any statement made , opinion expressed or conclusion drawn therein, but approve the
C
study only for the purpose for which it is submitted and satisfies as to the requirements laid
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
down by the dissertation committee. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Name of the student:
Priyamvada Kapoor
Name of the guide:
Ms. Archana Gupta
C
10 013
COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 Course Coordinator:
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 Mr. A.B Lall
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
I wish to express my deep and sincere gratitude to Ms. Archana Gupta for her valuable
guidance in preparing this research paper. Her expert opinion and suggestions made available C
to me from time to time are gratefully acknowledged.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
I would also like to extend my gratitude to another teacher Ms. Parul Kiri Roy, who with Ms.
Archana Gupta conducted the Film and Architecture Studio in my 4th year, which helped me
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
accomplish this research.
My friends off course boosted my confidence from time to time and never let me loose the
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
chosen track of my report. So an extended thanks to them too.
I would hereby also like to acknowledge the various helpful internet sources which provided
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
instant referential data and hence hold great importance to the successful well in time
completion of the report. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Priyamvada Kapoor
(Roll No. 013)
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 1 ...................................................................................................................................... 7
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Figure 2 ...................................................................................................................................... 7
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 CONTENTS
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ......................................................................................................... 3 C
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ..................................................................................................... 4
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
HYPOTHESIS ........................................................................................................................... 6
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
PREMISE OF THE PAPER ...................................................................................................... 7
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 8
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
SOME TERMINOLOGIES ..................................................................................................... 15
C
METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 22
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS ....................................................................... 23 C
AN OVERALL DIMENSION AS A CRITIQUE to the Case Study of ‗Slumdog Millionaire‘
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
................................................................................................................................................. 24 C
CONCLUSION DERIVED FROM THE CASE STUDY ...................................................... 31
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
CONCLUSION OF THE REPORT ........................................................................................ 33 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................... 35
APPENDIX..............................................................................................................................36
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
HYPOTHESIS
My study focuses on;

C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
―The analysis of the relationship between architecture, films and popular culture, studying
C
their interrelationships and interdependence and henceforth understanding how they lead to
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
an ‗endless spiral of desire‘ in human psychology.‖
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
PREMISE OF THE PAPER
Architecture, Films and Popular culture are linked, or rather inter linked with each other.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
They form a logical diagram of overlap. This area of overlap consists of people, their needs,
desires and aspirations. Hence it leads to something which can be called an
C
‗Endless Spiral of Desire‘. This spiral can be two-dimensional, as shown
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
ARCHITECTURE
below, consisting of one desire and its achievement. Another spiral can OVERLAP
be of multiple simultaneous desires, where one may have desire

and achieve one of them while wanting to be/have another POPULAR
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
accomplished, all at the same time.
FILMS
CULTURE
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
Figure 2
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 Figure 1
C
10 INTRODUCTION
COPYRIGHT 2010
Film is a kind of language with sound and image as its basic components; it‘s evaluated
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
through the senses which are both aural and visual. It‘s true even for the silent movies where
the silence itself is the sound. Architecture, on the other hand, is also experienced through
C
such senses, which therefore gives rise to aural, visual and tactile architecture.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Both film and architecture operate as a languages communicating through a language of signs
C
called semiotics. Semiotics provides a systematic way to analyse and understand the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
characteristics of signs expressing meaning. In everyday life also, space is rarely considered
for its independent qualities, but is more generally taken as a context for the meaning of other
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
objects. The study of space as a semiotic phenomenon suggests that the meaning of space, as
a sign, is generally understood in relation to other concerns. According to Saussure‘s concept
they are a two part entity consisting of a signifier i.e. the physical state of signs (what it
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
denotes, Denotation) and the signified i.e. thoughts, ideas and notions of what the signifier
embodies (what it connotes, Connotation). 1 A word‘s denotation is its dictionary definition, C
the idea the word represents. A word‘s connotation involves the emotional associations that
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
the word brings to mind. It‘s important to consider both denotation and connotation as you
communicate in both architecture and films.2 Buildings may be read as signs even from the
C
perspective of Saussurian semiotics. Architects like Renato De Fusco and Maria Luisa
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Scalvini who began to develop their own semiotic applications, for instance, equated the
exterior of a building with Saussure‘s signifier and the interior with his signified, a simple
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
scheme which they develop with some subtlety. Another architect-semiotician and analyst of
culture, Umberto Eco, however took a different view. The signifier for him might be a
staircase signifying the act of walking up — which thus becomes signified. Both of these
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
interpretations add something of value to architectural debate...The Parthenon exists
obviously, as a referent, an object still standing on the Acropolis in Athens, but it also exists C
10 1
COPYRIGHT 2010
Denotation : Connotation :: Signifier : Signified
C
10 2
COPYRIGHT 2010
Hands-On English Activity Book, 2004 Fran Santoro Hamilton,
http://www.grammarandmore.com/product/hoab/denotation.pdf C
Explained in chapter 2
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
as a signified – by photographs, diagrams and words – in any book which describes such
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
buildings. And for many people still it is also a signifier of all that was best in ancient Greek
democracy.3
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
In both film and architecture, the signs are perceptible objects. They both represent a reality C
which they are. That is to say that they are ‗Message-Objects‘. For example, a house can be
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
both subject and object of a sentence or a statement by itself. It can communicate to us,
giving us exposure to the fact that it‘s someone‘s house, which has a certain character, certain
C
feel to it and the reason could be the owner‘s liking or disliking, his taste. It also talks about a
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
setting, a context in which it lies. As Roland Barthes quotes;
C
“What we grasp is not at all one after the other, but the correlation which unites them.”
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 Roland Barthes, Myth Today, 1972 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
It‘s never that we look at a piece of architecture, or for that matter a film in isolation. Both of
them have a history, a story attached to it. Both have a connection in its setting, whether it‘s C
their setting in time or place or both. But whatever it may be, it‘s correlated and united.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Now, films cannot be treated as a language, but a kind of language. It‘s based on a set of
C
rules, some conventions. These are called ‗codes‘, an important sociological term. Codes are
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
an expressive convenience. Their prevalence provides the maker with certain standard ways
of telling a story. For example, lovers are shown communicating while they are singing.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
Another example could be of nurses wearing white dresses and a head gear, communicating
their character instantly, though it might not be prevalent in the hospitals in contemporary
times. Codes are explicit in the case of Hindi films (melodramatic), and tacit in a more
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
subdued and suggestive imagery of a ‗serious film‘.4 Similarly in architecture, if we talk
about the Semantic code5, for example, a hospital is generally painted white and has a certain C
visual character conveying to the general people its function. A set code, in this case being
10 3
COPYRIGHT 2010
Kate Nesbitt, Theorising a New Agenda for Architecture: an anthology of architectural theory (1965 – 1995),
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
pg 134
4
Kishore Valicha, The Moving Image: A Study Of Indian Cinema
5
Other codes explained in Chapter 2
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 K A P O O R | 10 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
the colour, the character, the look of the building which reflects the function; hence we can
call the exterior of the building a signifier. Now, its ambience inside is also typical to all the
hospitals per say. They are all bright or at least painted white, clean and smelling of
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
medicines (though not always); here the interior space is the signified, which makes us
experience that it‘s a hospital building. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
For a matter of fact, when a Stone Age man takes shelter in a recess, in some hole on the side
of a mountain, in a cave. Sheltered from the wind and rain, he examines the cave that shelters
C
him, by daylight or by the light of a fire...Thus an ‗idea of the cave‘ takes shape, which is
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
useful at least as a mnemonic device, enabling him to think of the cave later on as a possible
objective in case of rain; but it also enables him to recognise in another cave the same
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
possibility of shelter found in the first one. At the second cave he tries, the idea of that cave is
soon replaced by the idea of cave tout court - a model, a type, something that does not exist
concretely but on the basis of which he can recognize a certain context of phenomena as
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
‗cave‘...Now this would still be a matter of an individual‘s realization of an abstract model,
but in a sense the model is already codified, not yet on a social level but on the level of this C
individual who proposes and communicates it to himself, within his own mind. And he would
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
probably be able, at this point, to communicate the model of the cave to other men, by means
of graphic signs. The architectural code would generate an iconic code, and the ‗cave
C
principle‘ would become an object of communicative intercourse.6
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
C.S Pierce, an American thinker, suggests a number of trichotomies, the most fruitful one
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
being Indexes, Icons and Symbols.
INDEXES ICONS SYMBOLS
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
A sign whose mode of A sign whose mode of A conventional sign which C
signification depends on an signification depends upon a indicates an object, despite
10 its object.
COPYRIGHT 2010
actual relation between it and similarity between it and its
object.
the fact that it has no direct
connection with it.
C
10 6
COPYRIGHT 2010 C
Neil Leach, Rethinking Architecture: A Reader In Cultural Theory, pg 183
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
INDEXES ICONS SYMBOLS
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 The relation between the
signified and the signifier is C
The relation between the ARBITRARY, yet it needs to
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
signified and the signifier is
of an EXISTENTIAL nature.
The relation between the
signified and the signifier is
based on RESEMBLENCE.
be learned i.e. whatever
relationship exists between
C
the symbol itself and the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 entity which it symbolises

has to be learned.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
This trichotomy is true for both film and architecture for different spaces in time.
It‘s symbolic since in films,

C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
It‘s indexical for obvious
an arbitrary visual scene
inculcating thoughts in mind C
It‘s iconic because it‘s is always good and adds to
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
reasons of clarity for instant
communication.
photographic in nature. the much essential masala.
Whereas, in Architecture
C
these symbols take form of
10 Example:
COPYRIGHT 2010 Example:
the landmarks in real life.
Example:
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
From FILMS: an actor
shown crying
From FILMS: a tear drop on
hand
From FILMS: lightening,
rain, thunderstorm etc. all
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
ARCHITECTURAL: ARCHITECTURAL: maps,
symbolize pain or sadness.
ARCHITECTURAL: a C
buildings such as Le photographs, signs, drawings church is a symbol of
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Corbusier‘s Maison la Roche
of 1923 – which are planned
etc. are all iconic of a work
of architecture.
Christianity or one can say
that the dome is the symbol
C
about a set route indicate to Villa Savoye is another of Christianity and that the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
us which way we should go
in moving around them, so
example of Iconic
Architecture. It‘s iconic of a
object under speculation is a
church.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
certainly they are indices.7
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
house. Similarly, iconic of Moreover, a Cross also
Ship shaped building (DLF, skyscraper is still the empire represents Christianity, so
Gurgaon), lotus temple etc. state building though it is not that‘s another symbol of
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
are all indexical in nature. the tallest building anymore.
Hence, we can also say to
Christianity, hence the
church. C
some extent, the indexical
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 examples have a potential to

be converted into iconic over
C
a period of time.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
In professional life, architecture cannot always act as a real mirror for its society or its
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
context; this is due to the involvement of different factors in design and building process
(financial, political, ecological, time etc.). Sometimes, these factors blur the message to be
sent to the viewer or the user of the architectural work, resulting in a misunderstanding in the
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
motives behind that particular architectural work. In the medium of films, architects can
create ‗Pure architecture‘, without worrying about such things like weatherproofing, contract C
bidding or building codes and bye-laws.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
“Cinema-Architecture is thus, an ideal fulfilment of what architecture can be about.”8
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Here are some quotations by eminent people relating as well as suggesting the possible
importance of one over the other or when they are judged simultaneously against each other.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
“As architecture is a part of an everyday life and part of a political, philosophical, social,
cultural ideals, and cinema is so much essential for an imagination and our history and
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
memory...so architecture in cinema belongs to our historical, political and cultural mind.”
- Leglise Costa C
Very rightly said in the above statement, architecture and cinema both have to work on the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
political, philosophical and cultural aspects per say to get the realistic or a still acceptable
C
10 7
COPYRIGHT 2010
Kate Nesbitt, Theorising a New Agenda for Architecture: an anthology of architectural theory (1965 – 1995),
pg 136
8
C
Islam M. Abouhela, Significance of Future Architecture In Science Fiction Films, June 2005
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
touch to even a science fiction. The architecture in a film i.e. the whole setting of space and
its depiction makes the user or viewer understand the respective setting i.e. of the location
(where the story is based) and time (the time aspect of the storyline).
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Moreover, since film and architecture both belong to social, political and cultural mind, they C
can be said to be coming from popular culture and forming a part of the same with
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
appropriate additions and/ or amendments. It‘s like a to and fro motion in itself, giving and
taking to and from popular culture.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
On the other hand, cinema also helps us form an image of a place and as for architects, it
helps them to actually see and understand the use of spaces in particular, both interior and
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
exterior. An architect can really understand the use of different spaces in a building or outside
a building through films as he can observe the user of different spaces. Since in a film, he/she
would be complimenting different emotions for the respective different situations. Like, for
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
e.g., in a movie a sad scene would be shot in dim light and perhaps using silhouettes,
revealing something about a space which could be used to express ones sadness or C
depression.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
“The focus on the ability to represent space incorporates the relationship of cinema and
C
architecture and entails address to key thinker and conception of space and place.”
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 - Adiloglu

Cinema is a pure representation of space, how one space can be used for depiction of a
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
particular emotion, how it can foster a sense of connection between the viewer and the film.
The viewer here can be anybody from a layman to an architect. He can have the same or
different outlook about the representation of the same emotion in that same particular space.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Here is where, the space ‗entails address to the key thinker and conception of the space and
place‘. C
Moreover, Films have the history of architecture and/or they create architecture, and hence it
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
becomes an imaginary model sometimes even taken up by reality. So the architects of the
world, indirectly, have a ‗give and take relationship‘ with the film maker. Though the films
C
are made for the audiences to like it and appreciate it as either a good eye-opener or merely a
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
time pass. Whatever it is, it has architecture as the backdrop, whether of utmost importance or
least importance, it is there somewhere affecting the wellness of a scene in a film.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
“Architecture is a celebration of space, cinema, on the other hand gives people „tiny pieces
of time‟.”
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 - Murray Grigor
Elaborating on what Grigor said, Architecture is a reality, one can see it, perceive it, use it C
etc., it‘s a celebration of space. On the other hand, Films represent just a particular time frame
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
or a particular era (though through Architecture and other such mediums like the clothing,
way of talking etc.), and hence, depicts ‗tiny pieces of time‘.
C
Now, local cable stations and other pirated means are popping up all over the country. Films
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
about what people do, where they live, in what conditions; good or bad, is an effective way to
build a community. A community of people aspiring to be more like the characters portrayed
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
in films, more like the way they live and most importantly, where and how they live. Hence,
giving rise to what one can call to be Popular (Film) culture which in turn affects the daily
lifestyle of common man and so it in a way also affects how films are to be made in popular
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
cinema to be well appreciated by the audiences, since cinema is an audience centred entity.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
SOME TERMINOLOGIES
FILMS9
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Films are cultural artefacts created by specific cultures, which reflect those cultures, and, in
turn, affect them. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular
C
entertainment and a powerful method for educating — or indoctrinating — citizens. The
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
visual elements of cinema give motion pictures a universal power of communication.
C
Film is considered to have its own language. Examples of the language are a sequence of
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
back and forth images of one actor's left profile speaking, followed by another actor‘s right
profile speaking, then a repetition of this, which is a language understood by the audience to
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
indicate a conversation. Another example is zooming in on the forehead of an actor with an
expression of silent reflection, and then changing to a scene of a younger actor who vaguely
resembles the first actor, indicating the first actor is having a memory of their own past.
C
10 ARCHITECTURE10
COPYRIGHT 2010 C
As a process, architecture is the activity of designing and constructing buildings and other
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
physical structures by a person or a computer, primarily to provide shelter. A wider definition
often includes the design of the total built environment, from the macro level of how a
C
building integrates with its surrounding landscape to the micro level of architectural or
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
construction details and, sometimes, furniture. Wider still, architecture is the activity of
designing any kind of system.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Architects have as their primary object providing for the spatial and shelter needs of people in
groups of some kind (families, schools, churches, businesses, etc.) By the creative
organisation of materials and components in a land- or city-scape, dealing
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
with mass, space, form, volume, texture, structure, light, shadow, materials, program and
pragmatic elements such as cost, construction limitations and technology, to achieve an end C
which is functional, economical, practical and often with artistic and aesthetic aspects.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 9
10
COPYRIGHT 2010
Extracts from various internet sources C
Extracts from various internet sources
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
Separate from the design process, as discussed earlier, architecture is also
experienced through the senses, which therefore gives rise to aural, visual and tactile
architecture. As people move through a space, architecture is experienced as a time
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
sequence. Even though our culture considers architecture to be a visual experience, the other
senses play a role in how we experience both natural and built environments. Attitudes C
towards the senses depend on culture. The design process and the sensory experience of a
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
space are distinctly separate views, each with its own language and assumptions.
C
COMMUNITY11
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
A social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government,
and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
A social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests
and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within
which it exists, e.g. The business community; the community of scholars etc.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
POPULAR CULTURE12 C
Popular culture (commonly known as pop culture) is the totality of
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an
informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture. Heavily influenced by mass
C
media (at least from the early 20th century onward) and perpetuated by that
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
culture's vernacular language, this collection of ideas permeates the everyday lives of
the society. Popular culture is often viewed as being trivial and "dumped-down" in order to
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
find consensual acceptance throughout the mainstream. As a result of this perception, it
comes under heavy criticism from various scientific and non-mainstream sources (most
notably religious groups and countercultural groups) which deem it superficial, consumerist,
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
sensationalist, and corrupted.
C
It is manifest in preferences and acceptance or rejection of features in such various subjects
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
as cooking, clothing, consumption, and the many facets of entertainment such
as sports, music, film, and literature. Popular culture often contrasts with the more exclusive,
C
10 11
12
COPYRIGHT 2010
Reference from Dictionary.com C
Extracts from various internet sources
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
even elitist "high culture", that is, the culture of ruling social groups, and the low or folk
culture of the lower classes. The earliest use of "popular" in English was during the fifteenth
century in law and politics, meaning "low", "base", "vulgar", and "of the common people";
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
from the late eighteenth century it began to mean "widespread" and gain in positive
connotation. (Williams 1985). "Culture" has been used since the 1950s to refer to various C
subgroups of society, with emphasis on cultural differences.
10 SEMIOTICS13
COPYRIGHT 2010 C
Science of different systems of linguistic signs is termed as Semiotics. It is concerned with
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
the nature of signs and the rules governing their behaviour within a system.
Semiotics is thus involved with signification, or the production of meaning, which is
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
accomplished via the relation between the two components of the sign:
- Signifier (such as a word)
- Signified (the object denoted)
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
For Example, the spoon promotes a certain way of eating, and signifies that way of eating, C
just as the cave promotes the act of taking shelter and signifies the existence of the possible
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
functions; and both objects signify even when they are not being used...14
C
‘Semiotics of Space’
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Space is a term used to describe dimensional aspects existing between other, significant
phenomena. The semiotics of space is a descriptive process enquiring into the relevant
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
significance of the relationships between objects and their spatial contexts. Since semiotics is
the disciplined study of the life of signs that „stand for or represent‟ something, space is
generally overlooked as the background to other objects of attention.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 - Elliot Gaines

Very rightly stated above, space is a dimensional aspect, something which can be read in C
relation with its objects. Now semiotics of space refers to the language of communication
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
between this space itself and its respective objects in consideration. As stated above, it
C
10 13
14
COPYRIGHT 2010
Reference from Dictionary.com C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
literally refers to the relationships between objects and their spatial contexts, which hence
give the space its meaning.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Peirce, the founder of pragmatism and a systematic theory of semiotics, introduced many
trichotomic categories, including three essential descriptive categories of signs that are best C
explained as:
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
1. Independent of anything else.
2. Relative to something else.
C
3. A mediate between two others
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
These categories help describe the meanings of space. When we speak about the specific
qualities of space, we are considering 1. However, if we consider the quality of space in a
C
room, for example, we are already conceptualizing our enquiry in terms ‗relative to
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
something else‘, its 2. Here, as we can see, 1 has been lost to 2, because the meaning of the
space in a room is necessarily dependent upon the relevance of other objects within that
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
space. Finally, 3 mediated by a third party such as a person in a particular space; meanings
are interpreted from a specific point of view, indicating the practical consequences of the C
qualities and relationships within a spatial sign system such as a room.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
ARCHITECTURAL SIGN
C
One is not obliged to characterise a sign on the basis of either behaviour that it stimulates or
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
actual objects that would verify its meaning; it is characterized only on the basis of codified
meaning that in a given cultural context is attributed to the sign vehicle...Thus what our
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
semiotic framework would recognise in the architectural sign is the presence of a sign vehicle
whose denoted meaning is the function it makes possible...15
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
For example, a stair has allowed me to go up does not concern a theory of signification; but
that occurring with certain formal characteristics that determine its nature as a sign vehicle, C
the object communicates its possible function – this is a datum of culture, and can be
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
established independently of apparent behaviour, and even of a presumed mental reaction.16
C
10 15
16
COPYRIGHT 2010
Neil Leach, Rethinking Architecture: A Reader In Cultural Theory, pg 184 C
Neil Leach, Rethinking Architecture: A Reader In Cultural Theory
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION17
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
In linguistic sense; C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, the "dictionary definition."¨ For example,
if you look up the word snake in a dictionary, you will discover that one of its C
denotative meanings is "any of numerous scaly, legless, sometimes venomous reptiles
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
having a long, tapering, cylindrical body and found in most tropical and temperate regions."
C
Connotation, on the other hand, refers to the associations that are connected to a certain
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
word or the emotional suggestions related to that word. The connotative meanings of a word
exist together with the denotative meanings. The connotations for the word snake could
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
include evil or danger.
Connotations are cultural, they are built on a cultural precinct e.g. the meaning of a Snake is
different in Hindu culture (a disciple of lord Shiva) and western culture (evil, danger).
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
These give rise to figures of speech such as;
1. Similes, Metaphors & Personification (pictorial) C
2. Irony & Hyperbole (rhetoric)
10 3.
COPYRIGHT 2010
Understatement, Paradox, Pun, etc.
C
In Architectural sense;
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Architectural Denotation18
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
The object of use is, in its communicative capacity, the sign vehicle of a precisely and
conventionally denoted meaning – its function. So what it denotes is the function i.e. forms of
inhabitation and utility.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Hence, denotation in architecture can be the exterior of a building, suggesting some meaning. C
For example, a church looks like one from outside. Its function reflects in its exterior and so
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
its denoted meaning is clearly its physical state from outside.
C
10 17
COPYRIGHT 2010
http://www.eng.fju.edu.tw/English_Literature/terms/denotation.htm
18
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
Another example could be of a window. It being an element of the facade becomes an
element of architectural rhythm when viewed in contextual juxtaposition. and thus an
architect might present one with some false windows, whose denoted function would be
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
illusionary and these windows could still function as windows in the architectural context in
which they occur and be enjoyed (given the aesthetic function of the architectural message) C
as windows. Moreover, windows in there form, number, their disposition on a facade, may
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
besides denoting a function, refer to a certain conception of inhabitation and use; they may
connote an overall ideology that has informed the architect‘s operation. Round arches,
C
pointed arches and ogee arches all function in the load-bearing sense and denote this
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
function, a symbolic function.11
C
Architectural Connotation19
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Besides denoting its function the architectural object could connote a certain ideology of the
function. But undoubtedly it can connote other things. The cave, in our hypothetical model of
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
the beginning of architecture, came to denote a shelter function, but no doubt in time it would
have begun to connote ‗family‘ or ‗group‘, ‗security‘, ‗familiar surroundings‘ etc. 11 C
In the above example in architectural denotation, of windows, though the denoted meaning is
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
the function, they connote diverse ways of conceiving the function, the symbolic function.
Now if we get back to the cave example stated earlier in this report. The cave came to denote
C
a shelter function, but no doubt in time it would have begun to connote ‗family‘ or ‗group‘,
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
‗security‘, ‗familiar surroundings‘ etc.
C
CODE20
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Architectural codes are an expressive convenience. They can be divided into 3 types:
1. Technical Codes: Articulations of the kind dealt with in the science of architectural
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
engineering. The architectural form resolves into beams, flooring systems, columns,
plates, reinforced concrete elements, insulation, wiring etc. there is at this level of C
codification no communicative ‗content‘, except of course in cases where a structural
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
(or technical) function or technique itself becomes such; there is only a structural
logic, or structural conditions behind architecture.
C
10 19
20
COPYRIGHT 2010
Neil Leach, Rethinking Architecture: A Reader In Cultural Theory, pg 187 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
2. Syntactic Codes: These are exemplified by typological codes concerning articulation
into spatial types (circular plan, Greek-cross plan, high rise etc.) but there are
certainly other syntactic conventions to be considered (a stairway does not as a rule go
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
through a window; a bedroom is generally adjacent to a bathroom etc.)
3. Semantic Codes: These codes concern the significant units of architecture, or the C
relations established between individual architectural sign vehicles and their denotive
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
and connotive meanings. They might be sub-divided as to whether, through them, the
units;
C
a. Denote primary functions (roof, stairway, window);
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
b. Have connotive secondary functions (triumphal arch, neo-Gothic arch);
c. Connote ideologies of inhabitation (common room, dining room, parlour); or
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
d. At a larger scale have typological meaning under certain functional and
sociological types (hospital, villa, school, palace, railroad station)
FILM CODES
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
The various codes used in films to convey a message to the audience are known as film
codes. These are used as a basis to instantly state the mood of the scene, and the act at once
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
becomes comprehendible. These are essentially for an interpretative convenience of the
audiences. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
For example, a sad scene in Bollywood is always depicted with rainfall, storm, thunder etc. it
signifies pain, sorrow and grief. Similarly, the entry scene of the bad guy either shows his
feet or gun or any other such element. It never so happens that his face is shown at once. This
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
is done to add to the terror of the bad guy. Of course the background music does play a very
important role here. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
METHODOLOGY
1. Introduction of the terms film, architecture and popular culture and understanding
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
their relationship. In the due course, the relationship between film and architecture,
their interdependence with popular culture will also be understood.
2. Understanding the terminologies and applying them in architecture and films as well
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
as understanding how they are applied through the medium of films in architecture
and vice versa. C
3. A case study which would be a movie (‗Slumdog Millionaire‘21) of popular Hindi
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
cinema (since popular culture is also a premise in the research report) would be taken
up, to analyse space and its changing characteristics depending upon the objects of the
C
space. It is also to understand the role of the endless spiral of desires among people.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
4. Getting to a conclusion of the case study, the overall dimension as a critique and the
derived meaning.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
5. Summing the dissertation up to express a point of view highlighting certain facts in
the form of a conclusion which would unfold through the research. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 21
COPYRIGHT 2010
Slumdog millionaire is a movie made by a British director, taking Indian actors as well as shooting
in India (Mumbai), assuming he has studied and tried to apply the „Indian‟ film codes to interact
equivocally with the Indian audiences, and is, at the same time communicating well with his foreign
C
audiences. It would hence be interesting to study the real and the reel in and through this film.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
1. The scope of the research is limited to Hindi cinema, or rather popular cinema due to
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
lack of time and the advantage of firsthand experience of watching and
comprehending Bollywood popular cinema since childhood.
2. Here the discussion would be based upon the ‗film space‘ and not the ‗film
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
technique‘. Though the techniques would be referred to time and again for the sake of
explaining the space, its elements and their depiction to convey a certain message. C
3. The theories of semiology by Saussure, Eco and Pierce have been understood and an
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
effort has been made to apply them in the due course of the report.
4. The culture, desire and codes are not permanent. They constantly keep shifting from
C
being indexical to iconic and might become symbolic. Due to their shifting pattern,
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
this case study might not be interpreted in this way and hence the whole meaning
might alter. Hence the techniques using which it is interpreted would be based on the
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
culture, desires and codes in function which are in practice in today‘s context.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
AN OVERALL DIMENSION AS A CRITIQUE to the Case Study of
‘Slumdog Millionaire’ C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
A Danny Boyle film lives and dies by its visuals. ―Slumdog Millionaire‖ vividly and
energetically captures the look and feel of India, from the slums to the mansions, and the
C
colours and the vibrancy of the location only add to the overall affect of the film. Boyle also
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
inserts some of his signatures into the film, the fast-shudder technique being one of them.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Well, Slumdog Millionaire involves millions in money, but is much more about fate, destiny,
and love, ‗Jamal in a quest to find his lost love‘. For one there is a great energy and
explosiveness to the tale, it is in constant motion. There is the emotionally charged
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
relationship of the central characters, and the beauty of fantasy as fate plays out on the
screen.*22 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
On the periphery is the city, the dirt, the bile of consumerism, the remains of globalization,
the intimidating hope of comfort, the buildings that signify progress, the lines of
C
communication outside India, the booming economy at the centre of the centre. Boyle
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
recognizes all these with a conscious effort to paint a portrait of Mumbai without actually
seeing it, strokes that are evenly marked, surprisingly picture-perfect, and details that strike a
C
10 chord.
COPYRIGHT 2010
Following is the summary of the scene by scene interpretation of the movie.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Interrogation Room At The Police Station: The use of the very warm colors (could be
literally referred to as ‗hot colors‘) is remarkably illustrating the harshness of the whole C
depiction and the gruesome act taking place here. It along with the angles with which the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
scenes have been shot and the varying foci generates an added terror quotient which gets
depicted through the space within the audiences.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Airport as Playground: The use of panoramic shots suggests the extent of the airport. As the
scene progresses, the slums seem to be at the edge. It also suggests a technique of shifting C
centers, using what the director has highlighted as the area of focus, the area of
10 22
COPYRIGHT 2010 C
http://onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/01/the-aesthetics-of-misery-slumdog-millionaire.html
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
acknowledged marginalized activity and the fact that each, hence the changing edge has its
own internalized core.
Slum Tour: The angles used here vary a lot. They are either top or bottom angles. This is to
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
get an adventurous and mysterious feel to the whole slum tour. The tour ends and there is the
zooming out from the slums scene. Here, once it‘s at the stage of complete zoom out, the
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
airport is nowhere to be seen, and hence the whole run through the slums, though about 8
minutes or so, suggesting not much of a distance, has actually covered a long distance, so
much so that the airport which was hence interpreted to be an edge of the slums, has
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
completely disappeared. This is a typical of any organic development, it kills the distance and
makes the whole walk or in this case run, so dynamic that the time taken is or seems minimal. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Police Inspector’s Room - A More Civilized Interrogation: The inspiration is from
Bollywood movie‘s typical police station. It is almost a film code to depict a police station,
with wall photos of eminent politicians questioning the legitimacy of the legitimate
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
institution, and the slow moving fan suggesting a serious question and answer taking place
and last but not least the whole space arrangement, with the desks full of work and the honest C
inspector.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Shit Pit: The location of these toilets is shown to be away from the slums and not like the C
attached toilets in contemporary days, as we, the people belonging to middle class see it. This
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
is typical of slums and is an important element in slums which are at least as large as the ones
depicted here, ‗the Dharavi Slums‘. Another interesting point to be noted here is Jamal‘s
C
passion for Amitabh Bachhan, which leads him to go through shit. Moreover, this scene
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
seems to summarize the whole movie, how Jamal goes through shit but in the end that shit is
exactly what allows him to get what he wants.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Cityscape – Slum and City Interaction: This panoramic shot suggests the whole cityscape.
At once one gets a broad picture of the setting and the location of the city as well as the
C
slums. It suggests their interdependency and interlinking, as well as their importance in
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
forming a city, the one it is, whether good or bad is subjective.
C
Riots in Dhobi Ghat – Slums: The angle here is different from the one used in the slum tour.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Here the angles are more horizontal, from front and back. They suggest the terror, the not
knowing where to go, what to do that goes on within Jamal and Salim. The shifting centre
C
mentioned earlier is evident here too. Here the focus lies on the VT station (in the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
foreground) and the riots, and yet the city is still seen with the slums taking up the
background.
Shelter from Rain – in the Tin Shed: First, this tin shed is iconic of a house, a shelter and
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
second, the rain is symbolic of the grief, pain and sorrow that the kids are going through. It‘s
yet again a typical Bollywood sequence which is another well practiced ‗film code‘. The
C
10 indecisive Latika and her fears are evident as she doesn‘t leave the scene. She doesn‘t want to
COPYRIGHT 2010
lose the only two people she knows somehow after the riots and decides to get wet in the rain
just outside the shed.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Dump Yard Scene: A whole play of semiotics is visible here. The only shed in the large
dump yard could be said to be the signifier, the signified being the kids who are catching up
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
with some rest, some sleep and the whole significance is the matter of fact that these two kids
feel like kings of the space even when they are nothing much after the riots where they lost
everything, their family, their mother. Another observation was the significance of the scene
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
where Latika is seen emerging out of the dump, this signifies her origin, her true identity,
where she comes from, the slums. This is because as of now, at this age, she is nothing but an C
association with her slum, her slum is her only identity.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Beggar’s Head Quarters: This scene suggests the reality of the beggars we see today. The C
space talks a lot about its changing function as the day goes by. In the morning it looks like
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
an orphanage, but as the day sets, it changes into a Beggar‘s Head Quarter. All sorts of ‗dark‘
activities take place here and hence the scene is all dark with dull focus lights. This is a
C
technique which yet again is a film code used to imbibe a horrifying feeling among the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
audiences and in turn also emotionally connecting them to the actor in the scene.
C
Pila Street (Prostitutes): There is a street called Pila Street or rather a Pila Haus, existing in
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Mumbai since the time of the Britishers. Hence it has significance in reality which has neither
been altered nor exaggerated. It is what it really is, from ‗real‘ life to ‗reel‘ life. Moreover the
C
use of yellow color can be traced back to Boyle‘s effort of depicting dullness, filth, dirt, fear
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
and terror in some sense as in the first third degree interrogation scene. This is a film code
that Boyle has repeatedly used in two very important scenes. Here also the color yellow,
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
reporting some discomfort, is the signifier, the signified is the function taking place. The
significance is as mentioned above the dullness of this yellow conveying filth and dirtiness, C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
imbibing an eerie feeling among the audiences while both the above mentioned respective
scenes are being performed.
Closed Down Hotel and the Call Centre: Both these scenes are important for how they
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
have been filmed. Both of them have an exterior over all shot to set the audience in and
familiarize them with the context. Both of them are real places in Mumbai. The Tulip Star
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
hotel was known to be an abandoned hotel, though now it has reopened recently. And the call
centers are almost synonymous with customer service systems and as the most common line
of communication between the brand and the customer. They provide the customer with their
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
services from a common building where they are seated in large numbers attending to a much
larger number of customers. Hence, we can say that films need architecture, its functions and C
services to form spaces depicting what they need to for the successful interpretation of a
10 scene.
COPYRIGHT 2010
Under Construction Building Where Jamal Meets Salim: The point to be noted here is the
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
fact that the backdrop reflects the origin, intention and the background story of the character
in the foreground. For example the Doric columns behind Salim or the developing city, both C
reiterate the fact that he is passionate to be the strongest guy, the ‗Don‘ though he is still
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
‗under construction‘, in the making. Jamal has been shown with strong Ionic columns in the
backdrop to depict his strong intentions to resolve the unfinished business between him and
C
his brother, and hence the unfinished building was chosen for the dialogue between both of
10 them. COPYRIGHT 2010 C

Javed’s House: This scene is quite similar to the above mentioned scene. Here also the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
backdrop gave a similar description of the character in the foreground. Jamal is shown with
the dump yard in the backdrop emphasizing on the fact that his life is a mess without his love,
C
his passion, ‗Latika‘. Similarly Latika is shown to be in Javed bhai‘s house. This house is
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
shown to be clean, shining, spotless and pure, just like she is a virgin prostitute, who is
untouched and pure to the core in all respects. Even when the house is shown, it‘s zoomed
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
out in levels (also in the case of the end of the ‗slum tour‘). By the end, one realizes that the
slums/dump yard form one end and the under construction building the other. This is to recap C
how Javed is like a mediator between the slums and the city people, though majorly working
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
for the rich city people for his interest in money.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
End of the Movie: 3 Parallel Spaces Shown – Compilation of the Whole Movie and Its
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Essence: By the end of the movie, what is evident is the crux of the characters, the jest of
their character sketches. It‘s all about the changing meaning of Love with these characters,
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
which reflected in their character sketches, depicted through the storyline as well as the
various shots in the film; C
In ‗Passion for Love‘ (Jamal)
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Being ‗Proud to see ones Love Achieve‘ (Latika)
Being ‗With ones Love‘ (Salim)
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: All the similarities with the set of ‗Who wants to be a
Millionaire‘ and the Bollywood copy of the same, ‗Kaun Banega Crorepati‘, are clearly
C
evident. The set is a copy; the anchor‘s (Amitabh in KBC) accent is similar etc. All these
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
similarities are to familiarize the people with what‘s on the screen, its importance and for the
matter of fact the whole functioning of the game show is important since its one of the most
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
popular game shows in India and probably the world, the public can relate to it without an
effort. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Train and Platform: The platform or the train as an element has been used in the movie as a
transitional space, from here is where the movie takes a turn as per the storyline or where
something which is important for the same takes place. The following are the list of events
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
which take place here and are important in one way or the other for the story line:
Hindu-Muslim riots in the slums – This is an important situation since both the
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
brothers loose whatever they had, their family (most importantly, the mother), and their slum.
Escape from Mamman’s ‘Beggar’s Head Quarters’ – This brought a drastic change
C
in the lives of Jamal and Salim. This is where Jamal lost Latika to Mamman‘s guys while
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
chasing the train. C
Jamal calls Latika at VT station at 5pm – Here, Jamal loses Latika to Mamman‘s
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
guys once again. He again loses something important in his life.
C
Song at the end on the VT Station platform - The last scene is the great dance
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
scene to close the movie. This is a typical of Bollywood. The platform as a space is used here
to depict another stepping stone in their life, a transition from bad to good. Boyle here has
C
chosen to use it as a strong premise.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
A film with layers of documentation and multicultural (a British director doing a Bollywood
film for a world audience) understanding is an interesting product of our global village. The
argument whether it has represented the underbelly of India without exploiting it becomes too
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
worn considering the times we‘re in because certainly, film spaces are easier to analyze than
people and real spaces. This is quite evident since in films, the depiction of the characters C
and their context tells us exactly what the director wants us to interpret. It‘s linked with the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
whole premise of film, the storyline, the character sketches and a lot many more things.
Hence, it can be said to be pure in its sense. Whereas, in real life, real people and real spaces,
C
one might not be what he/she portrays to be. It might be that the character and spaces seem to
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
be related but they just might not be and it just might be a simple portrayal.
C
Moreover, according to me, films must be entertaining, films must be hopeful, and films must
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
be uplifting. And Slumdog Millionaire has done those. That‘s why I choose to belong in the
world of movies – - everything is a matter of taste, fake, real, obscure, popular, biases on
C
actors, writers, directors, theory, harsh critics, starred reviews, inconsistencies, awards
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
season, the transcending influence of films, a wealthy imitation of meta-life. Though this is a
pop film that‘s more about India than Bollywood, more about social reality than pop cinema,
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
more about being genuine than make-believe for an Indian, who knows India and its
functioning. Whereas an American might react to it in a completely opposite sense, probably
due to their lack of knowledge towards India and Indians, especially of those living in slums
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
in the conditions similar to the ones depicted in the movie.
In terms of reception to critical analysis, every film has a different set of frameworks,
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
different context and background. Hence, cannot be compared to one or another in terms of a
single criterion. May it be, ―Classicist criterion: composition, cutting, rhythm, colour, texture,
movement, mood, narrative and Character.‖ or other criterion. Cinema is still a self-reflexive
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
medium: audience centred, it symbolizes so much through its space and of course its
storyline. Correlation between the effects of commercialism to cinema (film as a commodity) C
and film as an aesthetic medium (film as an art) is what makes SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
a different film.
C
As involving as the story is, as good as the acting is, there is something else that needs be
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
mentioned — the setting. Obviously, it is set in Mumbai and that setting brings with it a
distinctly exotic culture. It does open a window into another culture, one that is growing and
C
developing faster than anything seen abroad, namely the United States. The colours, the class
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
interaction, the rampant poverty, it is all just fascinating to see how life moves on a different
level. There is a loose quality that helps amp up the energy used in concert with interesting
angles that are subtle, yet add so much to the overall feel of the movie.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Lastly, Slumdog Millionaire is;
C
―Neither sufficiently realistic nor precisely fantastic, Slumdog, like its hero, is caught
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
between two irreconcilable and unstable places: between the realities of urban India and the
mass culture fantasies of the mainstream Indian cinema.‖
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
CONCLUSION DERIVED FROM THE CASE STUDY
Film, Architecture and Popular Culture – The Overlap

C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Slumdog millionaire is a film that has used architectural space and its elements to depict or
portray what is real. It is a portrayal of popular culture of different walks of society. The
C
slums have been depicted to a large extent as what they are perceived to be. It is no doubt
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
real, but depiction is not of the whole but of the popular parts, the popular features of a slum,
the ones people know and can somehow relate to. Similarly, the other spaces are either
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
typical of Bollywood movies, like the police station, or are typical of a certain section of
society, like Javed Bhai‘s house, or are just a glimpse of certain professions in society, like
the Pila Haus, the prostitute street. Whatever it is it‘s to do with the real world (architectural
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
spaces), depicted in the reel world (film spaces) and supported by the popular film codes
(popular culture) hence supporting the storyline and the film itself. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
The Endless Spiral(s) Of Desire
Jamal, the protagonist in the film has been shown to be very passionate about whatever he
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
does or rather whatever he does is due to his passion towards achieving something. Jamal
goes through a lot in life because of his passion for;
- Amitabh Bachhan, which leads him through shit (the shit pit scene);
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
- Food, which leads him to Mamman‘s head quarters or later in the movie propels him
to be hung upside down from the roof of the train or even lead him to the path of stealing and C
forgery, when he and his brother counterfeit a British couple by dismantling their car;
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
- Latika, which forms the basis for the whole story. His hunt for Latika is the aim of
his whole life. He kills Mamman, fights with his brother and even goes on the millionaire
C
show all because he wanted to be with her or just so that he could just be in touch with her
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
somehow, so much so since he knew that she watches that show every time it is aired, he
participated in it.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Hence, his spiral of desire is governed by his passion throughout the movie. He wants things
he is really passionate about. And in real life, for us, it‘s so true. We want what we don‘t have
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
in life. This desire can be for something we don‘t want to happen to us. For example, when
Salim understands the whole point of Mamman getting those kids to his so called head
quarters, the audiences immediately are taken a back and start praying for anything similar
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
not to happen to them or their loved ones. This is also a spiral of desire which talks about not
wanting something. A film does both. It infuses a sense of „want‟ and a sense of „not want‟,
both falling under similar spirals.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Similarly, for that matter the desire for Salim was to be rich, so rich that he could rule the C
world, be the Don. His desire again is something a common man wants in life, whether poor
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
or rich, whether in need of or in greed of, who doesn‘t want money, more money? But here
the method of achieving this desire is to be questioned on the basis of its acceptability in
C
society. This again is instantly talking about the popular desire of people, the popular culture
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
among all sections of society.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
Latika, on the other hand, is shown to belong to the slums. Slums being her identity, she is
shown to have lost it after the riots. As the storyline progresses, she remains without her own
identity, living on someone else‘s consideration, like in Pila Haus, as the virgin prostitute or
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
like a parasite on someone else‘s name, like with Javed Bhai under his mercy. This too talks
about a single girl in real life. It talks about all the ‗don‘t wants‘ in her life, her fears, her C
terrors and in this specific case, her lost identity. Hence, it somehow still familiarizes the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
audiences, rather reminds them about the possible fate of a lonesome girl, who has lost her
everything to the riots. A girl who by fate has met this guy Jamal, who loves her but, has to
C
do a lot to get her and hence they both go through a very realistic journey of their lives first
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
looking for each other and then almost winning each other for lifetime (happy ending is
another film code used widely in Bollywood popular Hindi movies).
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
To sum it up, popular cinema does all stated above as a weapon to attract the layman‘s
attention, to make it so real or rather seem so real that the layman or the common man is
C
easily drawn in and feels a part of the story. This particular film has something for all. From
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
love to hate, from fight to fate...it has it all. It is a complete concoction of a Bollywood
popular movie, a well knit screenplay and a realistic plot, and hence includes reactions
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
similar to many other popular movies made in this contemporary time and space.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
CONCLUSION OF THE REPORT
A film is a source of entertainment; it can induce some emotions and desires in the hearts and
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
minds of common people. Architecture, on the other hand, can induce similar feelings, of
pleasantness and calmness or of discomfort and sadness. It‘s all about how the piece of
architecture or for that matter the architectural space makes you feel. Moreover, both the
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
above are somehow governed by what the respective associated popular culture‘s are.
Popular cinema (that being discussed here), has a very clear link with people, their lifestyle C
and their living habits. Architecture on the other hand is for the people. It‘s according to the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
liking or disliking of the client, according to his range of popular culture, the one he can
relate to or wants others to relate to.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Now, if we agree a film, architecture and popular culture are linked, the zone of overlap
between the three comprises of what we call the spiral of desire. It evokes a sense of want,
C
need or greed among the common people. The jewelry, the dresses, the rooms, the spaces, the
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
houses, the architecture; all evoke the endless spiral of desire. For example, a poor guy might
be living in a small shack but still might desire to own a ‗pakka ghar‘ like he might have seen
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
in a movie and would want to ultimately own an apartment or a house. Once he gets a better
home, he might want to now have a vehicle. He might as well simultaneously desire to have a
vehicle when he wants to have a better home. This leads to what can be called a simultaneous
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
multiple spirals of desire. Once he gets that, he perhaps desires to get his daughter married, so
he desires to earn more so that he can save for her dowry, which would hence allow him to C
give her at least what in a particular movie a similar income father did. Hence giving rise to
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
popular culture. This suggests just the beginning of his spirals of desire.
Similarly, for a well-to-do family, there are other desires which hence lead him to his own
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
spiral of desire. He might want a bigger home, a bigger and better car, a financially even
bigger family to marry of his kids etc. He might have his own set of popular culture
C
according to which he might want to show off his wealth just the way it was done in a certain
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
film he might have seen earlier (popular culture). It has almost become the easiest topic of
discussion with the common man who doesn‘t understand the language of architecture. One
C
can generate examples from the surroundings, the real world or from films too to carry on a
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
discussion. C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
Hence, through this report, the first conclusion I want to draw your attention to is the fact that
Architecture, Films and Popular Culture have a strong interdependence and interrelationship.
They have a zone of overlap which hence generates an endless spiral of desire which might
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
lead to another such spiral. And hence, a simultaneous multiple spirals of desire may be
generated which takes from and at the same time gives back to the three; films, architecture C
and popular culture.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Valicha, Kishore. The Moving Image: A Study of Indian Cinema. Bombay: Orient Longman,
C
10 1988.
COPYRIGHT 2010
Barthes, Roland. Image, Music, Text. Great Britain: Fontana Press, 1977.
C
Leach, Neil. http://books.google.co.in. 2005. November 2009
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
<http://books.google.co.in/books?id=dzSc3rXrb24C&dq=rethinking+architecture+a+reader+
in+cultural+theory&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=9Ls5kPFcL0&sig=hl0gVsdI3JGzC
C
-0rqlOVXP4uOWw&hl=en&ei=Et31Srq7A4OE7AOEy_QN&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=res
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
ult&resnum=3&ved=0>.
Nesbitt, Kate. http://books.google.co.in. 1996. November 2009
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
<http://books.google.co.in/books?id=kXa5xjnHB5QC&dq=theorizing+a+new+agenda+for+a
rchitecture+an+anthology+of+architectural+theory&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=qp
QFucfBBR&sig=HAancuZd113gB0k9kuCoS8-
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Myrs&hl=en&ei=g9z1SpaNAZWQ6APYp4EO&sa=X&oi=book_result>.
2009 <http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/danny-boyle-biography-4240.html>. C
2009 <http://www.vikasswarup.net/index_files/Page607.html>.
10 COPYRIGHT 2010
Slumdog Millionaire. Dir. Danny Boyle. 2009.
C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C
10 COPYRIGHT 2010 C

Film, Architecture and Popular Culture... Their Zone of Overlap

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Исходное описание:

Оригинальное название

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Film, Architecture and Popular Culture... Their Zone of Overlap

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

fILMaRCHITECTUREpOPULARcULTUREfILMaR

My study focuses on;

be of multiple simultaneous desires, where one may have desire

INDEXES ICONS SYMBOLS

10 COPYRIGHT 2010 entity which it symbolises

It‘s symbolic since in films,

10 COPYRIGHT 2010 examples have a potential to

10 COPYRIGHT 2010 - Adiloglu

10 COPYRIGHT 2010 - Elliot Gaines

10 them. COPYRIGHT 2010 C

Film, Architecture and Popular Culture – The Overlap

Вам также может понравиться