Abstract
This study's main aim is to examine consumer culture's effects on modern society and the semiotic elements in Michael Haneke's “City Trilogy” film series. The study aims to explain how Haneke criticizes consumer culture by using film language and symbols. The study mainly uses the semiotic analysis methods of Greimas and Barthes. In Haneke's films, he addresses themes of social isolation, violence, and alienation caused by consumer culture and provides deep meanings to his audience through visual signs and images. Particularly in the sequels, Haneke emphasizes the themes of the city, media, and violence, highlighting the detrimental effects of individualism in isolating people from society and increasing their sensitivity. This film series presents a highly critical perspective on consumption, suggesting that individuals can only gain freedom by distancing themselves from this concept.
Studies on Cinematography and Narrative in Film
TopSemiotics
Fiske (2014) says that semiotics is a discipline whose main interest is the concept of signs and studies the ways in which these signs and meanings work. Semiotics is a field of theory and analysis that focuses on the use of signs and symbols. Fundamentally, semiotics deals with how meaning is produced, communicated and understood. This discipline spans a wide field, covering language, literature, art, cinema, media, advertising, and even many aspects of daily life. Semiotics examines the process of formation of meaning and how signs (symbols, signs) function within social and cultural contexts.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Sequel: A movie or film about a later sequel to a movie.
Social Alienation: A person's feeling of disconnection from a group – whether friends, family, or wider society.
Consumer Culture: Describes a lifestyle hyper-focused on spending money to buy material goods.
Semiotic: The study of signs and sign-using behaviour.
Isolation: The condition of being separated from other people, towns, countries, etc.
Violence: Actions or words that are intended to hurt people.