Melodramatic license: the re-imaging of Douglas Sirk's "All that heaven allows" by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Todd Haynes

Comeau, V. E. (2007). Melodramatic license: the re-imaging of Douglas Sirk's "All that heaven allows" by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Todd Haynes. https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:2994

Search for this publication on Google Scholar

Details:

Title

Melodramatic license: the re-imaging of Douglas Sirk's "All that heaven allows" by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Todd Haynes

Author
Comeau, Vance Edward
Call Number

LE3 .A278 2007

Date

2007

Supervisor

Migliarisi, Anna
Baron, David

Degree Grantor

Acadia University

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Degree Level

Masters

Discipline

English

Affiliation

English & Theatre Studies

Abstract

This thesis is an investigation into the tropes of confinement found in three films, all filmic melodramas: Douglas Sirk's 'All That Heaven Allows' (1955), Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 'Ali: Fear Eats the Soul' (1974), and Todd Haynes' 'Far From Heaven' (2002). The thesis explores how these individual directors evoke an emotional response in their viewers through the use of certain aspects of 'mise en scne' (the tropes of confinement) and use these elements as signposts of meaning for the viewer. The three chapters deal with these films in chronological order, beginning with the Sirk film and finishing with Haynes' film. The third chapter demonstrates how Haynes develops the tropes of confinement into what could be termed "aperturization", a more sophisticated trope.

Rights

The author retains copyright in this thesis. Any substantial copying or any other actions that exceed fair dealing or other exceptions in the Copyright Act require the permission of the author.

Permanent Link

https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:2994

Bookmarks: