14.1.2014
Hicret OSTA
ZELİG
In Woody Allen's film, a
mockumentary, “Zelig”, Leonard Zelig who can change his thougts, appearence,
attitudes, acts, pronunciation as well as religion regarding his social environment
is protagonist. The very diffirent situation is the subject of the film and it explained
in the beginning of the film:
“His story reflected the nature of
our civilization character of our times. Yet it was also one man's story and
all the themes of our culture were there heroism, will, things like that but when
you look back on it, it was very strange.”
In this sense, the story of Leonard Zelig
is universal and also belongs to all humanity. We can see that important things
for people are very conditional and changeable throughout of the film. If a person is very popular as a hero, she or
he would be shaken by the scandals. In my opinion, Leonard Zelig is influenced
by the chaotic situation and produces “immediate change in every aspect of his
life ” as a psychological and physical defense mechanism. However, that leads
Leonard Zelig to feel disorientedly. The conversation between him and his
doctor indicates:
Z: How should l know? l'm not a doctor.
D: You're not?
Z: No. Am l? Who are you?
D: What do you mean? These are tough questions.
D: Leonard Zelig?
Z: Who is he?
D: You.
Z: l'm nobody. l'm nothing. I catch me. l'm falling.
Another strange situation related to
Leonard Zelig is that he can be different persons who are utterly opposite each
other. While he is a jew, he can immediately a soldier of Hitler or a black or
a Hollywood star. These changes are very ironically and also refers to the
changeability of the world and people’s perception.
Well,
why does he seem as “the other” who is a hero or a villain instead of a welcomed
one? Maybe, it is explained that if he is already a such people, he does not
need the change in any social environment. Neither being a hero, nor being a
villain is regarded as an advantage by the society. It only pays attention to
whether there is any spectacle or not. So, the other always is risky position
as Leonard Zelig is.
“Zelig has sold his life story to Hollywood
for a large sum of money. When the scandal breaks the studio demands its money
back. Zelig can only return half. The rest has been spent. Outraged, the studio
gives him half his life back. They keep the best moments.He is left with only
his sleeping hours and mealtimes. Zelig is shaken by the scandal, but it is
only the beginning.”
Unlike this situation, the villain can unexpectedly become a hero
and begin to keep in good with the society.
“New York welcomes back Eudora
Fletcher and Leonard Zelig, the human chameleon. His remarkable feat of aviation
fills the nation with pride and earns him a full presidential pardon. Forgiving
multitudes flock to see him as he sits by the side of his plucky bride-to-be. Their
journey of triumph leads to City Hall. New York's greatest honor, the Medal of
Valor is bestowed on Zelig by Carter Dean. You are a great inspiration to the
young of this nation who will one day grow up and be great doctors and great
patients.”
Ironically, the weak and indecisive
manner of the society is stated by following sentences in this film:
“And
for a time, everyone loved him and then people|stopped loving him. Then he did this
stunt with the airplane and then everybody|loved him again. And that was
what|the twenties were like.”
In conclusion, because the other one
has desadvantages of being different from normal people, he or she cannot adapt
to life of them. In other words, it seems that the value of the other is
related to the perception of the society, which causes the other to be
alienated from the rest of the world.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder