Biernacka [Abstract]

A case of auteur cinema in a changed cultural context:  “Funny Games” (1997) and “Funny Games, US” (2007) by Michael Haneke  [Full text]

Aleksandra Biernacka  [1]

AbstractThe  article  is  a  case  study  of  a  cross-cultural  auteur  film-remake  by  Michael  Haneke  of  his earlier film: Funny Games, US (2007) and Funny Games (Austria 1997), that is a part of a PhD project  devoted  to  the  cross-cultural  film  remakes.  The  case  of  the Funny  Games,  US although  an  exact  frame-by-frame  repetition,  shows  a  significant  alteration  of  meanings that  arise  out  of  the  changed  cultural  context  a remade  film  is  destined  to  operate  in.  The different  set  of  ideas  and  historical  experiences  modify  a  seemingly  universal  for  the Western culture problem the film attempts to discuss with. Through cultural, hermeneutical analysis of a particular basic assumptions the films’ discourse is formed on,  the  author shows  how  given  points  lose  their  adequacy  and  relevance  leading  to  a  final  failure  of  the communication  process  and  a  lack  of  expected  reaction  to  the  US-version-of-the-film’s efforts at provoking a serious debate.

Keywords: Film remakes,  cross-cultural remakes, cultural context of a meaning

[1] FGSSR Polish Academy of Sciences, abbi30@gmail.com