Investigation of “Dracula Untold” and “Turkish Gambit” in the Context of the Orientalist Perspective in Films About Turks

Abstract

With the 18th century, based on the discourses of western travelers, the handling of eastern civilizations from a western perspective constitutes the basic functioning cycle of orientalism. The religion-centered east-west conflict, which dates back to the crusades in the historical process, did not develop as a theological conflict only. Especially with the 19th century, a stereotyped eastern typology in literature, painting and other western-centered art ideas has been and continues to be taken into consideration for years. The orientalist memory of Turkish culture, which is also included in the eastern civilization bloc, is seen in all the artistic arguments of the west. In today's digital age, these orientalist images, rituals and character typologies belonging to Turkish culture are included in the movies that are transferred to the screen especially around the fictional events. The scenarios that are shaped according to a certain orientalist tradition are regarded as an inevitable reflex to ensure a certain visual perception management in the viewer, who is at the receiver position at the visual digital communication level. In the light of all this information, this study examined the orientalist perspectives on Turkish culture in the films Turkish Initiative and Dracula Start. Some of the dialogue and visual scenes in the films were deciphered under the determined main themes and content analysis was made. The determined main themes are discussed depending on the variables of ritual, religion, culture, image and character typology. These determined elements were associated with the orientalist point of view and analyzed descriptively in depth under the content analysis method.