Sign of the Librarian in the Cinema of Horror: an Exploration of Filmic Function Antoinette G
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Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2010 Sign of the Librarian in the Cinema of Horror: An Exploration of Filmic Function Antoinette G. Graham Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SIGN OF THE LIBRARIAN IN THE CINEMA OF HORROR: AN EXPLORATION OF FILMIC FUNCTION By ANTOINETTE G. GRAHAM A Dissertation submitted to the School of Library and Information Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2010 Copyright © 2010 Antoinette G. Graham All Rights Reserved The members of the committee approve the dissertation of Antoinette G. Graham defended on October 5, 2010. _____________________________ Gary Burnett Professor Directing Dissertation _____________________________ Valliere Richard Auzenne University Representative _____________________________ Lisa Tripp Committee Member _____________________________ Eliza T. Dresang Committee Member Approved: _____________________________________ Larry Dennis, Dean College of Communication & Information _____________________________________ Corinne Jörgensen, Director School of Library & Information Studies The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ................................................................................................................. v Preamble ............................................................................................................... vii 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................ 2 1.2 Background of the Problem ..................................................................... 4 1.3 Significance of the Problem ..................................................................... 5 1.4 Research Question .................................................................................. 6 1.4.1 But Why Horror? ........................................................................... 8 1.5 Methodology ............................................................................................ 10 1.5.1 Value of the Semiotic Lens ............................................................ 11 1.5.2 The Semiotics of Horror ................................................................ 13 1.6 Assumptions ............................................................................................ 15 1.7 Limitations ................................................................................................ 16 1.8 Contributions to the Research ................................................................. 17 1.9 Summary ................................................................................................. 18 2. LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................... 19 2.1 The Librarian as Cultural Symbol and Stereotype ................................... 19 2.1.1 Librarian Stereotypes in Films ........................................................ 21 2.1.2 The Librarian Anti-Stereotype ........................................................ 26 2.1.3 "You can take the librarian out of the library, but …" ...................... 28 2.1.4 Conditioned Responses to the Librarian Symbol ........................... 29 2.1.5 Nonnarrative Motivations for Filmic Elements ................................ 30 2.2 The Icon of Library ................................................................................... 31 2.2.1 Library as Institutional Framework ................................................. 35 2.2.2 Library Tasks as Filmic Elements .................................................. 38 2.3 The Narrative Realistic Cinematic Structure ............................................ 39 2.4 Conventional Signifiers of Horror Films .................................................... 42 2.5 Function of Librarian Characters in Cinema ............................................. 45 2.5.1 Minor Librarian Roles ..................................................................... 47 2.5.2 Major Librarian Roles ........................................................................50 2.5.3 Librarian Characters as Information Obstructionists ...................... 50 2.5.4 The Librarian Symbol as Myth ....................................................... 51 2.5.5 Librarian as Semiotic Sign ............................................................. 52 2.5.6 Librarian as Icon, as Index, as Symbol .......................................... 54 2.5.7 Cinema and the Communication of Meaning ................................. 55 2.6 A Semiotic Approach ............................................................................... 57 2.7 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 58 iii 3. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................. 60 3.1 Research Sample .................................................................................... 60 3.2 Character Analyses .................................................................................. 61 3.3 Sign Systems as Semiotic Process .......................................................... 62 3.4 Esslin's Table of Sign Systems ................................................................ 63 3.4.1 Sign Systems Common to All Dramatic Media ............................... 65 3.4.2 Sign Systems Confined to Cinema and Television ........................ 66 3.5 The Semiotic Frame and Interpretation .................................................... 66 3.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 67 4. DATA ANALYSIS ............................................................................................. 68 4.1 Research Sample and Criteria .................................................................. 68 4.2 Statistical Overview .................................................................................. 69 4.3 Data Related to Filmic Function ............................................................... 71 4.4 Character Function as Imposed Design ................................................... 73 4.4.1 Exposition as Librarian Function .................................................... 74 4.4.2 Plot Advancement as Librarian Function ....................................... 77 4.4.3 Humor as Librarian Function .......................................................... 79 4.4.4 Irony as Librarian Function ............................................................ 84 4.4.5 Symbolism as Librarian Function ................................................... 87 4.5 Character Function Related to Narrative Role ......................................... 92 4.5.1 Action Hero as Librarian Function .................................................. 93 4.5.2 Dying as Librarian Function ........................................................... 96 4.5.3 Killing as Librarian Function ........................................................... 99 4.5.4 Victim as Librarian Function ........................................................... 103 4.5.5 Seeker of Knowledge as Librarian Function .................................. 107 4.5.6 Information Provider as Librarian Function .................................... 109 4.5.7 Information Obstructionist as Librarian Function ............................ 112 4.5.8 Maintainer/Violator of Rules as Librarian Function ......................... 114 4.5.9 Occupational Status as Librarian Function .................................... 116 4.6 Character Function from a Narrative Viewpoint ....................................... 120 4.6.1 Emotional Support as Librarian Function ....................................... 121 4.6.2 Lover or Sexual/Asexual Object as Librarian Function .................. 123 4.6.3 Monster as Librarian Function ........................................................ 130 5. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................. 132 5.1 General Observations .............................................................................. 133 5.2 Library Settings in Horror Films ............................................................... 136 5.3 The Bigger Picture ................................................................................... 137 5.4 Denouement ............................................................................................ 139 Appendix: Plot Summaries of Sample Films ........................................................ 141 References ............................................................................................................ 150 Film References .................................................................................................... 157 Biographical Sketch ............................................................................................... 164 iv ABSTRACT Librarian characters in films have long been the subject of academic study, usually comparing their features with those of the stereotype or real librarians. Little attention is given