Journal of Literary Criticism

Journal of Literary Criticism

A Comparative Study of Narration in New Temporal Structure Films and Iranian Miniature Painting (Case studies: Night on Earth and Timecode Films, Shahnamah and Falnamah Tahmasebi)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Vahid Rajabi 1
Afsaneh Nazeri 2
Nahid Jafari Dehkordi 3
1 Art University of Isfahan, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Visual Art, Isfahan University of Art, Iran
3 Isfahan University of Art
Abstract
New temporal structures in Cinema are considered a special kind of storytelling and narration in cinema that can be contrasted with the simple narratives of classical cinema. In such works - also known as cinematic modular narratives - the filmmaker intends to challenge the viewer, arousing his/her imagination and curiosity. The multifaceted space, Split screen and the simultaneous presentation of diverse narratives and the infinity of qualitative and non-linear place and time can be considered to be the components of Iranian painting.. It is noteworthy that these features were represented properly in the paintings of Tahmasebi era (Shahnamah and Falnamah) and these components can be identified in new temporal structure films. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of new temporal structure films and compare them with Iranian painting with an emphasis on the paintings of the Safavid period. The main question of this paper was: "What are the common features of new temporal structure films and Iranian painting?" Night on Earth and Timecode Films, and Shahnamah and Falnamah Tahmasebi were used as the sample. A descriptive-analytical and comparative research method was employed in this study and data were collected through written documents and observation. Findings suggest that features such as creation of complex space, simultaneous presentation of events, multifaceted and multi-level space, lack of focus on a single character, and multiplicity of characters present in the new temporal structure films are similar to the paintings of Shahnamah and Falnamah Tahmasebi.
Keywords
Modular film
painting
New temporal structure
Safavid
nonlinear narration
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Journal of Literary Criticism
Volume 5, Issue 9
March 2021
Pages 193-163

  • Receive Date 12 March 2020
  • Revise Date 24 May 2020
  • Accept Date 06 June 2020