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KADIR HAS UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES FANTASY, SETTING, NARRATIVE SPACE IN THE QUEER CINEMA OF THE USA (1990s–2010s) PH. D. DISSERTATION A. SERDAR KÜÇÜK May, 2016 FANTASY, SETTING, NARRATIVE SPACE IN THE QUEER CINEMA OF THE USA (1990s–2010s) A. SERDAR KÜÇÜK Submitted to the Graduate School of Social Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in AMERICAN CULTURE AND LITERATURE KADIR HAS UNIVERSITY May, 2016 ABSTRACT FANTASY, SETTING, NARRATIVE SPACE IN THE QUEER CINEMA OF THE USA (1990s–2010s) A. Serdar Küçük Doctor of Philosophy in American Culture and Literature Advisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Eser Selen May, 2016 ―Fantasy, Setting, Narrative Space in the Queer Cinema of the USA (1990s–2010s)‖ investigates the origins and functioning of particular choices of setting, fantasy ele- ments, and non-linear narrative structures in the queer cinema of the United States from the 1990s to 2010s. The study aims to identify a comprehensive counter-culture utopianism in queer cinema with selected examples from American and, to a lesser degree, world cinema. What is common in the selected films is the notion of escape, and the creation and utilization of alternative spaces in which queer-identified characters can take ref- uge. In the context of the study, escape and alternative spaces are associated with revolutionary practices in light of arguments that are derived from the work of Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, José Muñoz and, to some extent, Marc Augé. The selection of films, which also includes some queer classics such as The Living End, The Watermelon Woman, and Shortbus, are assessed through a combina- tion of formalist and contextualist approaches. The formal analyses of the films con- centrate on various queer film settings ranging from the road and the stage to the prison and the concentration camp as well as several counter-narrative strategies such as parody, pastiche, and narrative intransitivity, along with particular uses of mise- en-scène, camera movements, sounds, editing choices, characterization, and genre. Special attention is given to cultural and historical context, and the representation of sexuality, race, gender, and class is taken into consideration. The study reveals the special ways in which queer films give a critique of het- eronormativity, racism, class inequality, commodity culture, and nuclear family as well as mainstream film production, which denies or suppresses the queer existence. Keywords: queer, cinema, fantasy, narrative, setting, space iii ÖZET ABD QUEER SİNEMASINDA FANTEZİ, MEKȂN, UZAM (1990‘LI YILLARDAN 2010‘LARA) A. Serdar Küçük Amerikan Kültürü ve Edebiyatı, Doktora Danışman: Yard. Doç. Dr. Eser Selen Mayıs, 2016 ―ABD Queer Sinemasında Fantezi, Mekân, Uzam (1990‘lı yıllardan 2010‘lara)‖ Bir- leşik Devletler queer sinemasındaki belli başlı mekân tercihlerinin, fantezi öğeleri- nin, ve doğrusal olmayan anlatı biçimlerinin kaynağını ve işlevini araştırır. Bu çalış- mayla Amerikan sinemasından ve bir nebze de dünya sinemasından seçilmiş örnek- lerle queer sinemasında var olan geniş kapsamlı bir karşı-kültür ütopyacılığının tespi- ti hedeflenmektedir. Seçilen filmlerdeki ortak nokta kaçış olgusu ve queer kimlikli karakterlerin sı- ğınabileceği alternatif alanların yaratılışı ile bu alanların kullanım biçimleridir. Bu bağlamda kaçış ve alternatif yaşam alanları, Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, José Muñoz ve kısmen Marc Augé‘nin çalışmalarındaki düşüncelerin odağında yer alan devrimsel pratiklerle ilişkilendirilir. The Living End, The Watermelon Woman ve Shortbus gibi queer klasiklerini de kapsayan film seçkisi, biçimci ve bağlamcı yöntemlerle incelenir. Filmlerin biçimsel tahlilleri yol ve sahneden, hapishane ve toplama kampına uzanan çeşitli queer film mekânları ile parodi, pastiş ve anlatısal geçişsizlik gibi anlatı karşıtı stratejilere ve dahası belli başlı mizansen kullanımlarına, kamera hareketlerine, seslere, düzenleme tercihlerine, karakterizasyona ve türe odaklanır. Öte yandan, kültürel ve tarihsel bağ- lama önem verilir; cinsellik, ırk, toplumsal cinsiyet ve sınıf temsilleri dikkate alınır. Bu çalışma, queer filmlerin heteronormativiteye, ırkçılığa, sınıf eşitsizliğine, metâ kültürüne, çekirdek aileye ve de queer varoluşu reddeden ya da baskılayan ana akım film üretimine yönelttiği eleştiriyi ortaya koyar. Anahtar Kelimeler: queer, sinema, fantezi, anlatı, mekân, uzam iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am much obliged to the people who have spent their valuable time to review and evaluate this study. Asst. Prof. Dr. Eser Selen, my dissertation advisor, has given a significant direction to the development of this study with her invaluable suggestions and extensive feedbacks. Dr. Selen‘s enthusiasm and expertise in queer studies have always been a great source of inspiration. It has been a pleasure to study under her guidance. I owe special gratitude and utmost respect to Prof. Louise Spence, my former advisor, for her trust, mentorship, and comprehensive feedbacks. I have learned a lot from her, for which I will always feel indebted. I must also thank her for introducing me to Dr. Selen, and to Prof. Selim Eyüboğlu, whose constructive criticisms have been helpful. My most heartfelt thanks to Assoc. Prof. Mary Lou O‘Neil, our department chair, for her faith, support, sincerity, and friendliness during my entire time at Kadir Has University. Most of the things I knowİstanbul, 2016 about gender studies come from her valuable lectures. I am also very grateful to Prof. Savaş Arslan and Asst. Prof. Ahmet Gürata for their participation and helpful comments in the dissertation defense. Finally, I would like to give many thanks to Asst. Prof. Jeffrey Howlett, Assoc. Prof. Matthew Gumpert, and Asst. Prof. Selhan Savcıgil for their valuable lectures and classroom discussions, which have been a positive influence on this study. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Approval Page i Disclaimer Page ii Abstract iii Özet iv Acknowledgments v List of Figures ix 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. Setting and Fantasy in Queer Cinema 1 1.1.1. The Uses of ―Fantasy‖ 7 1.2. Non-narrative Elements in Queer Cinema 8 1.2.1. The Uses of ―Narrative Space‖ 13 1.3. Aim: Fantasy, Setting, Narrative Space as a Form of Resistance 19 1.4. Research Questions 22 1.5. Keywords 22 1.5.1 Queer 22 1.5.2 Space and Place 25 1.6. Defining ―Fantasy‖ 25 1.7. Notes on Theory 29 1.8. Notes on Method 40 1.9. Chapter Breakdown 41 vi 2. SETTING AND FANTASY 46 2.1. Urban Queer Spaces 46 2.2. Non-places and Supermodernity in Queer Cinema 51 2.2.1. Queer Road Movies: The Living End, My Own Private Idaho, and Butterfly Kiss 54 2.3. Fantasy and Setting in Queer Cinema: A Mise-en-scène of Desire 58 2.3.1. Contrasting Settings: Paris is Burning and Three Dancing Slaves 59 2.3.2. Fantasy in Captivity: Un Chant d‘Amour, Poison, Swoon, Bent 61 2.3.3. In Search of a Safe Space: Weekend and Stranger by the Lake 63 2.3.4. Capitalism and Desire: Paris is Burning and Being John Malkovich 69 2.4. Inconsistencies in Queer Films: Boys Don‘t Cry 74 2.5. Conclusion 78 3. FROM QUEER NON-PLACES TO QUEER NARRATIVE SPACES 79 3.1. Apparatus Theory and the Perspective Construction of Narrative Cinema 80 3.2. Queer Narrative Spaces: Time, Memory, Visibility 89 3.2.1. The Living End 89 3.2.2. Edward II and The Hours and Times 92 3.2.3. The Watermelon Woman and Paris Was a Woman 94 3.2.4. Tongues Untied 101 3.2.5. Swoon 106 3.3. Impermeable Narratives 107 3.3.1. Frisk 107 3.3.2. Mulholland Dr. 112 3.3.3. Tropical Malady 114 3.4. Conclusion 118 vii 4. CASE STUDIES FROM THE QUEER CINEMA OF THE USA (From 1996 to 2014) 121 4.1. Black Queer Archeology in The Watermelon Woman and Brother to Brother 123 4.1.1. The Watermelon Woman 125 4.1.2. Brother to Brother 141 4.1.3. Conclusion 156 4.2. Supermodernity and Oedipal Entrapment in Shortbus and Appropriate Behavior 159 4.2.1. Shortbus 161 4.2.2. Appropriate Behavior 170 4.2.3. Conclusion 188 5. CONCLUSIONS AND THE FUTURE OF THE STUDY 191 REFERENCES 194 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (1848). 2 Figure 1.2 The Living End (1992), The Trip (2002), The Angelic Conversation (1985), Teorema (1968), Je t‘aime moi non plus (1975), Sebastiane (1976), Dyketactics (1974), Cloudburst (2011), Butterfly Kiss (1994), Tomboy (2011). 6 Figure 1.3 My Own Private Idaho (1991), Looking For Langston (1989), Tongues Untied (1989), The Angelic Conversation (1985). 9 Figure 1.4 Looking For Langston (1989). 11 Figure 1.5 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919), Gone with the Wind (1939). 18 Figure 2.1 My Own Private Idaho (1991). 55 Figure 2.2 Butterfly Kiss (1994). 57 Figure 2.3 Un Chant d‘Amour (1950), Poison (1990), Swoon (1992), Bent (1997). 62 Figure 2.4 Stranger by the Lake (2013). 68 Figure 3.1 A fresco on the Tomb of the Diver (circa 470 BC), Plato‘s Symposium (1871–74). 82 Figure 3.2 The Living End (1992). 90 Figure 3.3 Edward II (1991). 93 Figure 3.4 The Hours and Times (1991). 94 Figure 3.5 The Watermelon Woman (1996). 95 Figure 3.6 The Watermelon Woman (1996). 95 Figure 3.7 Paris Was a Woman (1995). 98 Figure 3.8 Paris Was a Woman (1995). 98 Figure 3.9 Paris Was a Woman (1995). 100 ix Figure 3.10 Tongues Untied (1989). 102 Figure 3.11 Tongues Untied (1989). 105 Figure 3.12 Frisk (1995). 111 Figure 3.13 Mullholand Dr. (2001). 113 Figure 3.14 Tropical Malady (2004). 114 Figure 3.15 Tropical Malady (2004). 118 Figures 4.1–9 The Watermelon Woman (1996). 128–140 Figures 4.10–15 Brother to Brother (2004). 142–153 Figures 4.16–20 Shortbus (2006). 161–170 Figures 4.21–29 Appropriate Behavior (2014).